Nuclear base makes B.C. top target

MENAG

FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1963
VOL. 24, NO. 26

VANCOUVER, B.C.

First woman cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova (left) is shown being

greeted by delegates at the World Congress of Women which

opened in Moscow Monday. She was showered with

gifts and

flowers by the delegates. In a message of greetings to the Con-
gress, Soviet Premier Khrushchev urged the women of the world

to unite for peace.

Ratepayers condemn
city real estate deal

Irate Vancouver ratepayers got
n their licks at City Council Mon-
day when 700 people jam packed
the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for
a public hearing on the Webb and
Knapp Coal Harbor Development.

Opposition to the giant real est-
ate deal joined with boiling anger
Over tax boosts on West End and
other property in Vancouver to
Produce one of the stormiest
council meetings in the history
of Vancouver.

Mayor Rathie, who tried to

choke off opposition to the scheme
in the morning was met with near
pandemonium and had _ to ‘beat
a humiliating retreat from his dic-
tatorial threat that the hearing
was going to be rammed through
in three hours.

A second session was called for
the evening lasting from 7:30 p.m.
to 10:30 p.m. when an additional
650 attended. ‘

Summarising the main points
of opposition to the Webb and
See RATEPAYERS. pg. 3

OMOX A-BASE
E TOB.C.

The announcement from Ottawa that plans are ready to build five nuclear

storage dumps, including one at Comox on Vancouver Island, shows how quickly
the minority Liberal government is moving to turn Canada into an advanced U.S. nu-
clear war base. Only last week the RCAF disclosed an agreement with the U.S. Air
Force to turn over 22 Canadian air bases for U.S. jets.

The announcement from Ottawa
that negotiations are moving
quickly towards a pact with the
U.S., which will virtually turn
Canada into a nuclear base for the
Pentagen, makes a mockery of
Canada’s national holiday on July
1. Canada’s very survival as an
independent nation is being placed
in jeopardy.

Under questioning in Parlia-
ment Tuesday, Prime Minister
Pearson admitted that an agree-
ment to place nuclear arms in
Canada and in the hands of
Canadian overseas forces is im-
minent. All nuclear weapons will
be manned by U.S. personnel and
be under strict U.S. control.

The announcement from Ottawa
that the Federal budget includes
a $7 million item for the building
of nuclear ammunition dumps in
Canada brought quick condemna-
tion.

BLOW TO PEACE

B.C. Peace Council chairman
L. Gardner said ‘‘Ottawa’s de-
cision to construct storage dumps
for nuclear weapons at Comox,
B.C., and other points across
Canada, is a crippling blow to
Canada’s effectiveness in working
for an end to the arms race.”’

Gardner said, ‘““The presence of
these deadly weapons on our soil
will cut Canada’s ties with the
non-nuclear nations, which, act-
ing together, are a formidable
bulwark against the outbreak of
thermonuclear war.”

B.C. A-TARGET

In a special statement released
Tuesday night B.C. Communist
Party leader Nigel Morgan said

IS AVE COLUMBIAI
PARLEY MEETS

The Columbia River for Can-
ada conference opened in the
Vancouver Hotel Wednesday
night with a wire from Gen.
A.L.G. McNaughton saying he
stood firm by his former posi-
tion, and expressed the “hope
the Committee will have every
success in persuading people
of B.C. to reject the disastrous
Diefenbaker - Bennett proposed
treaty.”

The parley is called to or-
ganize a campaign to save the
Columbia for Canada and is
expected to launch a mass
postcard drive. The PT will
carry a full report next week.

CANADA

DAY

EDITION

the placing of nuclear arms at
Comox ‘‘Will make our province,
and particularly the southwestern
section a prime military target
should thermonuclear war break
out. It will mean a further big
step in the loss of Canadian in-
dependence,”

Morgan charged that the plan
to stockpile nuclear weapons in
Canada and to station U.S. mili-
tary personnel “is a direct and
contemptuous violation of the will
of the Canadian people as ex-
pressed in the April 8 election.”’

“We want no part of U.S. brink.
manship; No nuclear bases on
Canadian soil; No foreign troops
operating from our country. We

want out from NORAD and NATO
and the mad war scheming they
encompass,” said Morgan.

URGES PUBLIC PROTEST

He called for the widest and
strongest expression of opposition
to nuclear arms and said ‘“‘Ken
nedy and Pearson can be stop-
ped in their tracks by an aroused
and determined people.’’

Morgan urged that no stone be
left unturned to halt the mad plan
to turn B.C. into a nuclear zone.
“We must give the Pearson min-
ority government no quarter on
this issue and strengthen the de-
mand for new national policies
of neutrality, disarmament and
peaceful relations with all coun-
tries.

“Peace is our only defence to-
day. It is Canada’s greatest need,
and we must not allow the Pear-
son government to jeopardize it,”
concluded Morgan.

It was indicated Wednesday that
NDP MP Colin Cameron, who rep-
resents the Nanaimo riding on
Vancouver Island, will raise the
question of the Comox base in
Parliament.

ir Se

Strike deadline Friday

This was the scene last May 16 when Longshoremen in Vancouver

rt TRAINS

downed tools for two hours to emphasize their demands for a fair
deal on the waterfronts of B.C. This week, it was reported that the
ILWU had set a strike deadline for Friday, June 28. As the PT went
to press, last minute negotiations were still being held. (See story

on Page 12.)

Day B.C. entered Confederation —?g.5

Labor must fight for its heritage

—Pg. 6