ROBIN SMITH, Vancouver South Communist candidate, is shown handing out

d

leaflets dealing with the education crisis at the UBC Convocation last week.

Labor should support
student rights fight

Robin Smith, 23-year-old
Communist candidate im Vancouver
South, told the Communist Party
election rally in Clinton Hall last
Sunday that the students of Simon
Fraser University are fighting for
democracy and urged ‘labor to
support their fight for changes in the
obsolete Universities Act. °

Taking her campaig® to the
student community this week, Miss
Smith visited campus grounds at
Simon Fraser and University of B.C.
to hand out leaflets dealing with the
education crisis and expressing
support for the students fight.

In her statement to students at the
UBC Convocation, Miss Smith said:
“*Everyone knows financing
education, from grade one through
graduate studies, is in acute crisis
. . . The heart of the problem is our
archaic excuse for a Constitution,
the BNA Act.” She said. “Today
modern education demands the

energy and resources of the whole

_nation. In order for a nation to

survive it. must have a flexible but
centrally finaneed education
policy.”

*‘Fragmentization of education as
a provincial responsibility only
quickens our demise and integration
with the U.S.”

In a leaflet handed out by the
candidate and her supporters at
Simon Fraser University, Miss
Smith backed the fight of the
students. Pointing out that ‘‘big

corporations control the SFU Board
of Governors.

“If nothing else happened in your
struggle at this time than the
exercise of your ‘student power’ to
sack Shrum, you'll have set a great
precedent for students across
Canada. . . Administrators must be
responsible to students and faculty.
Not to private capital or their
government bureaucracies.”

bout.
The real quest

whether we'll begi

step toward our Socialist goal.

CONTRIBUTE NOW!

By NIGEL MORGAN, B.C. Campaign Manager
This is the strangest kind of election! The Establishment is
doing everything it can to make it appear as simply a
personality contest. They hope to confine the election to majority
government, and evade the issues we. voters are concerned

jon today is whether we'll succeed in forcing
into the open the questions requiring democratic discussion, and
n the process of electing a new kind of
majority (including Communists) who will fight and legislate in
the interests of the people. The Communist Party is participating
in this election in order to help develop that process — a first.

We have now MoMinated four candidates in B.C., and more
across the country. Thousands of platforms, leaflets, posters,
adverts and radio Programs are being arranged. It all takes
money — money which can only come from the pockets of
working people who understand the import of the Communist
campaign in today’ crucial developments.

We appeal f° YOU to help make the fight of our
candidates and supPO'ters more effective for a quick end-to the
war in Vietnam, for a new Canadian constitution and new
economic policies f° provide jobs and higher living standard.

With less thar three weeks left YOUR contributions is ur-
gently needed. Please forward to B.C. Campaign Committee,

m.t.~. 35 2 % %

DAD EYER

[505 Ferd Bide. Vorcourer,

COMMUNISTS SAY:

‘Equality for two nations
way to Canadian unity’

_ Astrong call for the working out of a new confederal pact
in a new Canadian constitution which would guarantee
equality and full recognition of the rights of Canada’s two

nations — French and English

speaking — was made Sunday

night by Stanley Ryerson at the opening Communist Party
election rally in the Clinton Hall. :

Ryerson, a noted authority on
Canadian history and author of the
book, ‘Unequal Union,’’ said this
was the only way Canada’s two
national communities could join in a
free and voluntary partnership.

He spoke in support of Vancouver
East Communist candidate Charles
Caron and Vancouver South
candidate Robin Smith.

Pointing out that the problem of
Canadian unity is the problem of
Canadian society today, Ryerson
said that the basic set-up in Canada
is being brought into question in two
respects:

First, by the undemocratic set-up |
of Canadian society in which people
are questioning the power of a
handful’ of men ‘‘some 95
millionaires’’ who dominate
Canadian life.

Second, by the existence in Canada
of two people — two national
communities, one of which has a
strong ‘‘sense of being dispossessed
in their own territory.”

Ryerson said Canada is a country
of two national communities — ‘‘on
this half of the North American
continent live five to six million
people whose language is French.
Recognition of that fact has been
slow in coming because of the
domination of English-Canada.”’

He said among French-Canadians
there is bitter resentment and anger
“reinforced by a century and a half :
of inequality’’ and they demand a
change — a restructuring of
Canadian society which will enable
them to be ‘‘Masters in their own
house.”’

Giving examples which have led to —
the feeling among French-Canadians
that they are being dispossessed in
their own territory, Ryerson’ said
that while over 80 percent of the
population were French-Canadian,
eighty percent of the province’s
industry was American owned. In
large industrial plants where the
vast majority of workers were
French Canadian nearly all foremen
and administrative personnel were
English. He gave the example of the
CPR shops where 80 percent of the
workers were French Canadian and
80 percent of the foremen English.

Pointing to a recent survey in a
dozen Quebec municipalities in
which there was an 80 percent
concentration of French or English it
was found that the annual income of
the highest paid group in the English
municipality was $17,500; while in
the French it was $5,500. He also told
the audience that in 1967 infant
mortality in the worst slum areas in
Montreal — where mostly French-
Canadians live — was six times
greater than in better-to-do districts.

Ryerson said the Communist
Party was the first to point to the
two ‘nations in Canada ‘and has.”

'  adopted'a consistent stand calling for.

the full right of national self-
determination for French-Canada.

He said the separatist movement
— ‘‘which stands for instant
separation’’ — is a minority
movement in Quebec while the
national movement is a majority
movement having the backing of the
vast majority of French-Canadians.

He said that the fact of foreign
domination of the economy in
Quebec has also stimulated a
socialist, Marxist trend which,
although small at present, is ‘‘a
current, an influence and part of the
process.”’

In reply to a question on the stand
of the New Democratic Party on the ©
national question, Ryerson said the
old CCF never took a position on the
national question and that the NDP
program has a reference to ‘‘two
nations’’, but contains no clear cut
conclusion of a bi-national situation
in Canada or recognition of the right
of national self-determination. The

UL SAM, |

Ie

Was
Y a

‘Gommunist
erection
Headquailels

oe

last NDP convention, he said,
adopted a position for ‘‘special
status’ but does not make clear what

is meant by that. ‘‘Essentially their _
position doesn’t touch the set-up asit
is.’’ Ryerson added that there is a big
area of difference on this question

between the NDP and the
Communist Party.
* oe OK

In his opening remarks Ryerson

said the message the Communist
candidates bring to the people in this
election has “‘tremendous meaning.”’

It contains the idea of radical
criticism of what is wrong and of
those things that are possible in the
future. This campaign, he said, ‘“‘is a
very real part of laying of the
groundwork’ for the future
restructuring of society.

“1968 is not like any previous

election,”’

he said. Consider the

peculiar position of the traditional
parties. ‘Each is a minority trying
to regain majority support.’’ These
parties, he said, are agencies of
corporate monopoly. ‘‘Their attempt
at newness is an unadulterated

-——fake.”’

He charged that Trudeau is
“dedicated body, soul and spirit to
the status quo.”’

CHARLES CARON, Vancouver East Communist. candidate, explaining the —
Communist program to two young people in front of the election headquarters

at 1470 Commercial Drive. Volunteer
255-3626.

t Is

ded. Phone number is: |

WILLIA

Church St.

*

Ash St.

*

PORT ALBERNI: Tues., June
bid e's : oe S| See

HEAR .

M KASHTAN

National leader, Communist
Se, Party of Canada :
NEW WESTMINSTER: Sun., June 9, 8 p.m. Dreamland Hall,

“7

VANCOUVER: Mon., June 10, 8 p.m. Peretz School, 6184

*

11, B'p.m. i Ie ote

re ee ae ee PACIFIC TI

RIBUNE—Jl