Fora new national

At a meeting of the Central Commit-
tee of the Communist Party of Canada
May 12-13, in Toronto, the following
statement on the need for a ‘new na-
tional policy of western development”
was adopted.

This statement and specially prepar-
ed papers will be the subject of dis-
cussion at a Conference of the four
Western Provincial organizations of
the Communist Party which is schedul-
ed to take place in Alberta on the 16-
17 of June. A press conference will be
held in Edmonton on June 16.

Canada faces a crisis of ‘national
development.

Canadian monopoly interests and
successive Liberal, Conservative and
Social Credit governments have calcul-
atingly stifled the industrialization of
Western Canada. Their policies have
relegated the three Prairie Provinces
and B.C. to the status of raw material
preserves for Canadian monopoly, the
U.S. trusts and multi-national corpora-
tions.

More and more Canadians are al-
armed at these policies and the power-
ful new offensive presently underway,
sparked by the Nixon Administration,
as spokesman for the giant U.S. mono-
polies, to gain control over Canada’s
rich storehouse of petroleum, natural
gas, coal, mineral and water resources.

The Liberals and the Tories, (as re-
presented by Premier Lougheed of
Alberta), are negotiating resource give-
aways in the Northwest as a major
spearhead in the U.S. scheme for “‘con-
tinental” control of energy and water.

On the other hand, the actions of
the NDP Administrations, while mak-
ing concessions here and there to
democratic public opinion, have not
yet indicated any firm, consistent com-
ing to grips with foreign alienation of
resources: and in the case of Manitoba
at least, has stated that it is prepared
to undertake large scale sale of hydro
power to the USA, which could lead to
loss of Canadian control over vital
water resources.

The present dangerous course must
be changed. In place of the crisis of na-
tional development which is the conse-
quence of monopoly rule, we need a
new national policy of all sided and
balanced economic development.

The integrated development, under
public ownership and representative,
democratic management of the energy
and other natural resources, and the
transportation system — with the all-
round. industrialization of Canada’s
four Western provinces can no longer
be delayed. It is a vital part of the
challenge facing all of Canada today,
for it would do what the spanning of
Canada by rail did at another similar
historic junction in the building of our
country — only on an even grander

scale. It can usher in a whole new era
of expansion; be an important contri-
buting factor in creating a balanced
Canadian economy; making it possible
to create half a million needed new
jobs, and increase the population of
Western Canada. Such an approach to
Western and Northern development of
our country — with establishment of
Crown Corporations to expand the pro-
cessing and manufacture of Canadian
resources at home — is decisive to the
future of a truly independent Canada.

Rich and Varied Resources

Canada’s four Western provinces
are each possessed of vast, and rela-
tively undeveloped potentials. Their
resources are rich and varied — oil,
gas, wood, coal, iron ore, copper, lead,
zinc, nickel, gold, silver, potash, asbes-
tos, limestone, uranium, platinum, ita-
nium and other minerals; as well as a
very substantial proportion of the
world’s supply of the most valuable of
all resources — fresh water. The next
ten years may well decide whether
Canada realizes that potential or sees
this half of our country relegated to
become simply a place from which
U.S. monopolies draw their energy,
industrial raw materials and water.

Closely linked to development of the
West is the need for a radical over-
haul of freight rate structures and
transportation policies. Discriminatory
freight rates have been used by Cana-
dian monopolies as a calculated means
of blocking industrialization of the
West and preserving it as a special
area of exploitation for their manufac-
turers — and at exhorbitant prices.

. Vast pipeline systems have since been

added as a means of siphoning off new
found wealth and cheap energy sup-
plies.

Railways are the backbone of our
country’s transportation upon which
the economy as a whole (including the
other transportation services) depend.
Suicidal cutbacks in railway capacity;

service cancellations; high and discrim- -

inatory rate structures; the inadequacy
of terminal port facilities for grain ex-
ports particularly, -all work a severe
hardship on the people of Western
Canada.

A New Energy Policy

Restoration, modernization and ex-
tension of rail services in a new fully
integrated, publicly-owned, democrati-
cally-managed transport system (in-
cluding rail, road, air, pipeline, water
and terminal facilities) provide the
only solution to today’s needs.

A new energy policy that puts the
real interests of the Canadian people
first — with a publicly-owned, all-Can-
ada power grid — even without expan-

sion of existing facilities could (be-

cause of Canada’s differing time zones)
immediately solve many problems of
developing power shortages, “peak-

olacy of all-sided
WESTERN DEVELOPMENT

ing” requirements, and “emergency al-
ternative’ demands. Combined with
this, the marshalling and development
of water and power resources is the
key to development of Western Can-
ada’s vast potential for industrial, and

agricultural expansion and diversifica-'

tion.

The industrialization of the West
will expand the home market for the
farmers and make higher social and
economic standards of life possible in
the rural communities. Western farm-
ers need new policies which will win
expanding markets for the full range
of agricultural products that can be
produced; and which will at the same
time, protect them from the gouging
of the profit-hungry monopolies and

the uncertainty of the present price ~

system. The development of the West
makes it possible to evolve new poli-
cies which will halt the processes of
big monopoly and the negative effects
of the scientific and technological re-
volution which are driving the working
farmers from the land and bringing
agriculture increasingly under mono-
poly control.

Protect Fresh Water

An integral and vital-part of such a
development is the preservation and
utilization of all the water resources
of Western Canada — for irrigation,
transportation, recreation, industrial
and domestic usage. Water is the pre-
requisite for a long overdue diversifica-
tion of Prairie agriculture. Just imagine
what the clear, sunlit skies and fertile
soils of our vast Prairie areas could
add to Canada’s growing table needs if
irrigation were made available. Large,
rich areas, now partially arid, could
provide considerable expansion of pop-
ulation and industry.

Water (which is one of Canada’s
greatest assets) must be considered as
a federal resource on a Canada-wide
basis, rather than regional scale. Far-
sighted, systematically planned conser-
vation, development and utilization of
this natural resource — with due re-
gard to protection of the ecology — is
one of Canada’s urgent needs. Canada
needs a “Water Resources Board’’ to
protect and-plan the most beneficial
and economical use of its fresh water.

Native Peoples

Canada’s Northwest territories are
now being opened up. The process is
underway. Here in Canada’s “Siberia’’,
is an area with rich and varied natural
resources including an exceptional
abundance of energy, minerals and
water. -

The development of Canada’s North-
land underscores the pressing need for
special and superior services to raise
the standards of Canada’s Native peo-
ples in jobs, training, education. and
housing. Our Indian peoples are com-
pelled to migrate to the urban centres

bloc or “common market”, whist the
US.. imperialists can exploit a

where they are forced into the lt
to become our country’s poorest of t
poor.
The whole history of Canada’s ,
tive people, has been a harsh strugee
for survival. They have been an ye
brutally treated — suffering endle
indignities, discrimination and negler
However, they are drawing inspiratl0
from the struggles of oppressed peoP es
all over the world for liberation ff?
oppression and for the right to Be:
dignity. The struggle at “Wola
Knee” has had a profound impact
pelling our Native peoples to pe
their just claims with renewed dete
mination. if
We must guarantee that North
Development will be under public ° ty
ership, so that Canadian sovereign?
and control of all oil and gas oe
ments can be maintained, with Mis
mal danger to the environment and vies
turbance of the natural food SUPD
and life of Canada’s Northern peoP a
The Communist Party of Canada fi
mands that preferential treatment
given the Native peoples hecaus¢ th
only through such preferential U7
ment that they can be sure of © 4
treatment. In line with this, PMG
must be given in employment 10 —
Native peoples of the North with a
cial, free training provided by the
adian government, to upgradé
qualify them for all jobs ayailable:
Native peoples must have an eH® 0
voice and a full say on all questi
having to do with Northern De¥
ment and the protection of theif he
interests, so as to guarantee strict call
servance of all treaty and aborieh
rights, job preference and security

Reject Pressures on Canada

This meeting of the Central Ci
mittee of the Communist Party °° (eg
ada believes that the elaboration pli
program and launching of 4 Pig
campaign around these issues iS 4 ot
part of the fight to reject and ©.
new pressures on Canada for
entalism,” and for control of & ain
natural resources and a new tra the

expense of all Canadians. all
New national policies leading el0f”
sided balanced and economic il onl |
ment of the West and North W} pase!
be won by a great new coalition © al
on the working class, the farmeh ou
the democratic forces of city 29© ~ the
tryside, a coalition which includ ya!
NDP, Communist Party, the actin
union and farm movements. s 4 of
coalition and a Government bas” ig}
it can effectively block U.S. impé df

: n
ism and its sell-out stooges 19 Ca a
rule all

Canadian development.