Thirteen years after repeal of

Section 98 |

Lacroix seeks to restore it

ps this letter sent to all members of parliament urging them to defeat the Lacroix Bill
Tim Buck, national leader of the Labor-Progressive Party, declares that the LPP “is pre-
pared to prove before any committee of parliament, or before any tribunal of Canadian
democracy, that it is a genuine political party truly representative of the Canadian citizens
who comprise its membership; that it has one aim and one loyalty the aim of defending
and bettering the life of the people of Canada, the loyalty of contributing its utmost to
making Canada strong, prosperous and free,”

RECENT press reports indi-

cate that the House of Com-
mons may soon be considering
the private bill presented by
Wilfred Lacroix, MP. This La-
croix Bill proposes that legis-
lation be enacted to declare the
Labor-Progressive Party an ille-
gal organization, and to provide
for the imposition of heavy fines
and terms of imprisonment up-
on Canadians who would, in
any way, advocate or support
policies of, or in any way simi-
lar to those of the LPP.

It is 13 years since Section 98
of the Criminal Code was re-
pealed by the parliament of
Canada. The present Prime Min-
ister, W. L. M. King and the
Liberal Party were in power at
that time. The repeal of Sec-
tion 98 was heartily supported
by the overwhelming majority

of the people, as it was by par-

lament. It came as the climax
of long years of popular strug-
gle against Tory reaction as
typified by the R. B. Bennett re-
gime. It was a signal triumph
for every Canadian who cher-
ished democracy and the rights
of the common people to free-

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dom of political opinion and or-
ganization.

The Lacroix Bill, if adopted,
would turn the clock back. This
bill would reproduce the undem-
oecratic and arbitrary features
of the old Section 98, and in

fact, add a few more reaction-°

ary facets of its own. This
would not only be an unwar-
ranted, and entirely unjustified
assault against the Labor-Pro-
gressive Party, but it would con-
stitute a serious breach of the
inalienable political and_ civil
rights of all Canadians who
take up the cudgels for the de-
fense of democracy and the
rights of man against entrench-
ed privilege.

We therefore, on behalf of the
Labor-Progressive Party, wish
to submit the following facts to
you as an elected representative
of the people:

The . Labor-Progressive Party
is prepared to prove, before any
committee of parliament, or be-
fore any tribunal of Canadian
democracy, that it is a genuine
political party truly representa-
tive ot the Canadian citizens
who comprise its membership
and leadership; that it has one
aim, and one loyalty: the aim
of defending and bettering the
life of the people of Canada,
the loyalty of contributing its
utmost te making Canada
strong, prosperous and free.

The Labor-Progressive _ Party,
as evidenced in its program and

cum CO"stitution, and in the years of

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“its work, repudiates any and
all concepts of “force and vio-
‘lence” as means of achieving

Your INCOME TAX PROBLEMS its aims. The LPP specifically,

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and . unequivocally condemns
and opposes any and all con-
cepts, within and without the
labor movement, within or with-
out Canada, which look towards
weakening, harming or _ over-
throwing Canadian democracy
through “force and_ violence”.
The LPP is a party built upon
the principles of scientific soci-

alism, Marxism, which relies un-
reservedly upon democracy, upon
the majority opinions and forces
of the working class and the

_ people.

The
13.2 an

Labor-Progressive Party
absolutely independent
party, with no affiliations with
any party or organization out-
side of this country. The LPP
neither gives, nor takes orders
from anyone. There is no one
who can briag forth a shred of
evidence which could contradict
this.

It is true that in many quar-
ters the Labor-Progressive Par-
ty is unpopular. That is because
the LPP is right up in the fore-/
front of the current struggle of
Canadians against big business
profiteering and warmongering.
It is because the LPP is cam-
paigning vigorously for the

bread and butter of the people,

for civil liberties and democ-
racy, for lasting peace. It is be-
cause the LPP is fightfhg -for

the necessary electoral unity of —

labor, the farmers, the veterans
and the small people with the
object of electing CCF govern-
ments in the approaching pro-
vincial and federal elections—
an aim, which, if achieved, would
seriously set back the evil forces
of big business which are driv-
ing for Liberal-Tory coalition.
economic crisis, fascism and
mg: aan

Finally, the LPP is not favored
in some quarters because it ad-
vocates the ideals and principles
of socialism, the common own-
ership of the resources and
wealth of this country by the
people, the planning of expand-
ing production, the raising up
of human life and culture, the

way. of greater democracy and

enduring peace among the peo-

ples and the nations.

The menace to the welfare
and national security of Can-
ada lies, not in the existence and
activity of the LPP, but in the
threat to democracy and pro-
gress that is represented by the
fascist-inspired Lacroix Bill. In
the interests of Canada, the
House of. Commons should re-
ject this bill.

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“Premier. Maurice Duplessis’

—iperaionae LACROIX, MP, for
Quebec Montmorency and
the man who wants to extend
in-
famous padlock law to embrace
all of Canada’s nine provinces,
has a dubious record as a de-
fender of Canadian democracy.
Nominally an ‘independent
Liberal” in party politics, La-
croix’ connections, the anti-de-
mocratic causes he has espous-
ed, point to his strong ‘leanings
towards fascism. In fact, be-
fore the war he was branded as
having been a member of Adri-
en Arcand’s Fascist Party, and
he was closely identified with
Maxime Raymond and Liguori
Lacombe, members of the no-
torious League for the Defense
of Canada.

As an advertiser in the pub-
lication La Nation, edited by
Paul Bouchard, avowed Nazi,
Fascist and Japanese sympathis-
er. Lacroix showed his approv-
al for the corporatist, anti-
Semetie views of that sheet. La
Nation advocated the setting up
of a fascist corporate state on
the banks of the St. Lawrence.

Not only is Lacroix described
as a red-baiter, but on_parlia-
ment hill he has an unenviable
reputation as an “English-bait-
er.” :

During the war he carried on
a noisy campaign for a limited
war effort, and in November,
1944, his opposition to the gov-
crnment’s war effort brought

Lacroix record pro-fascist

kim to the position of leaving
the Liberal side of the house.

Later, on December 7, 1944,
speaking on the subject of ad-
ditional reenforcements for
overseas,. he. said:

“Why should.we keep on sac-
rificing more Canadian lives
when Frenchmen, Belgians and
Dutchmen are more than willing
to take their revenge?”

As early as February 9, 1942,
Lacroix took a_ strong. stand
against a, “yes” vote in the pleb-
iscite to release the Liberal gov-
ernment: from its no-conscrip-
tion pledges.

“At the present time I con-
sider that it would be a mo-
mentous error to send men to
foreign lands now that we must
actively prepare for the defense
of our country,” said Lacroix as
he announced that he would cast
his vote against the plebiscite.

This was at a time when Co-
lin Gibson, then minister of na-
tional revenue, was declaring
in advertisements: “As I see it—
Hitler would vote ‘No.’ Quislings
would not vote, Canadians will
vote ‘Yes’.”

This was also at a time when
members of the organizations
Lacroix now wants to ban, de-
spite the difficulties created by
the ban placed upon them in,
1940, were campaigning actively
for a “Yes” vote in the plebiscite
and serving in Canada’s armed
forces to whose reinforcement
overseas Lacroix was opposed.

What Lacroix proposes

HERE'S what Wilfred Lacroix, M.P. for Quebec-Montmorency, hopes
to accomplish by his Bill 2, aw act to amend the Criminal Code

rendering illegal “the

Communist Party of Canada, the Labor-

Progressive Party of Canada and any association, society, group or
organization having similar aims or purposes.”
—Membership in any such group shall be punishable by a fine

‘not exceeding $5,000 or .
20 years.”

ss ae a for not more than

—Evidence of membership shall be ‘attendance at meetings of
the organization, distribution of its literature, or provision of build-
ings or rooms for gathering of the organization.

~ —Any property, personal or real, shall be liable to seizure by the

RCMP.

—No member of the organization shall be permitted to run for
office as a member of the House of Commons or be seated as a

member of the Senate.

First reading of the bill was given December 10, 1947. It is now
awaiting second reading when the principle of the bill will be

accepted or rejected.

Members of parliament have three alternative courses. They
can approve the bill and permit it to go to third reading and thus
become law; they can vote the bill down; or they “talk out” the
bill by exhausting the one hour debating time allowed private mem-

ber’s bills.

At the end of the debating time the bill might be

referred to the special committee on human rights and fusidamental
freedoms, or it might be further ignored. ;

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PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MARCH 27, 1948—PAGE 12