August 8, 1997

Clark maintains threat to close Nanoose

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- British Columbia Premier Glen Clark told two federal cabinet ministers privately last month he was looking for ways to get out of his threat to cancel the lease on a Vancouver Island weapons testing range, a published report says.

The Vancouver Sun quoted sources as saying Clark told Defense Minister Art Eggleton and Fisheries Minister David Anderson on July 21 that he couldn't find any face-saving alternatives that would counteract the political embarrassment of dropping the threat.

Clark said Wednesday he was shocked details of the private meeting would be made public, but claimed he said nothing there that he hasn't said publicly.

Clark made the threat to cancel the seabed lease for the Canada-U.S. torpedo test range at Nanoose Bay in the ongoing dispute between Canada and the United States over how to divide the Pacific salmon catch.

The Canadian government has suggested it would expropriate the seabed to safeguard a Canada-U.S. treaty.

Eggleton said Tuesday in Vancouver that Ottawa won't let Clark cancel the lease.

But Clark said Wednesday, "I'm absolutely prepared to follow through."

"If you aren't prepared to carry through with a threat that you have made, then you are finished. You can't make further demands."

If Ottawa expropriates the base, the province will take the federal government to court, he said.

The closure of the test range is set for Aug. 22 and will proceed, unless Ottawa provides a process that could settle the salmon dispute, Clark said.

"If there is any process that could lead to the resolution of the salmon treaty I would be happy not to proceed with Nanoose," he said.

Clark said he is being called daily by federal government representatives, most frequently Anderson, pressuring him to back down.

"What they're worried about is offending the United States," he said. "I'm waiting to close the base."

Clark also said at the meeting that he understands the federal government's awkward position.

Under the 32-year-old Nanoose treaty, the federal government must give the United States a 12-month notice before termination.

But a 1989 agreement between British Columbia and the federal Defense Department gives Clark the right to give 90 days notice -- which he issued on May 23 -- to cancel the lease with Ottawa.