} i t h CANADA Nova Scotia NDP Convention HALIFAX — Given their party’ S standing at the top of national opinion polls and the very real prospect of a provincial election call within the next twelve months, the annual convention of Nova Scotia New Democrats should have been a highly spirited affair. In- Stead, many of the 300-odd delegates expressed quiet disappointment at the cautious, lacklustre character of the proceedings. The one notable exception was the rousing welcome given to federal leader Ed Broadbent. In his speech to dele- gates, Broadbent condemned the new agreement between Ottawa and Cana- da’s big banks which will allow them to set aside up to $5-billion per year in reserves to cover ‘‘potential’’ loan los- ses in less developed countries, and in the process avoid paying taxes on these assets. According to Broadent, this action by the Mulroney government will amount to a “‘tax benefit to the char- tered banks of $1-billion — just like that,” adding that ‘‘it’s time we had a government in Canada that would put as its priority the people instead of the banks.”’ In fact, Broadbent may have under- estimated the extent of the tax give- Broadbent denounces tax giveaway to hanks away to the banks under this scheme. A ranking financial analyst with Merrill Lynch estimates the tax loss at more than $2-billion, while a Levesque Beaubien Inc. bank analyst places the tax Savings for the banks at a staggering $2.8-billion. Moving to the free trade issue, Broadbent warned that the pending deal will compromise Canada’s econ- omy and sovereignty, declaring that “*Canada is not for sale.’’ Nova Scotia leader Alexa McDonough promised that the growth in support for the NDP province-wide will ensure that for the first time in his- tory, the next provincial election will be “‘a three-way race,’ with good pros- pects to add several seats to the three currently held in the 52-seat legislature. McDonough said that more and more Nova Scotians are fed up with the “cynicism and crass political oppor- tunism of the (Buchanan) government, and are rejecting the two old-line par- ties as never before. Special resolutions before the con- vention called on the federal govern- ment to introduce a national shipbuild- ing policy, including the construction of more Canadian vessels to service ‘‘the fishery, offshore oil and gas, and other From the Atlantic Miguel Figueroa 3 industries,’’ in order to overcome the crisis and save jobs in the province’s shipyards. Other resolutions demanded the promised modernization of Sysco and an increase in the provincial minimum wage. Still, several delegates were upset that many important policy resolutions were either diluted or kept off the floor entirely. A cornerstone policy state- ment on agriculture, for instance, which called for emergency steps to protect the family farm and ‘‘limit for- eign, conglomerate and non-resident ownership of land’’ in the province, was transformed into a mild ‘framework’ for further policy discus- sions when Kings South MLA Bob Levy pleaded that such a hard-hitting policy might lose votes among conser- vative-minded farmers. Nova Scotia leader Alexa McDonough: Promising a “three-way race” in the next election. The three incumbents struggled to respond when asked by one delegate to outline their position on the Meech Lake accord, answering only that there should be more public discussion on the issue before its ratification. Little or nothing was said during the three days of sessions about the attack on trade union rights provincially or federally, on the central question of peace and disarmament, or on other major inter- national issues. The cautious tone of the convention was perhaps best summed up by Ray Larkin, one of the party’s key strategists, who declared in one work- shop that when it comes to policy development “‘it’s not just a question that it makes sense to us, but whether it’s acceptable to others ... whether or not it is saleable (to voters).”’ TRIBUNE PHOTO — MIGUEL FIGUEROA CP’s plan for the North THUNDER BAY — To meet the crisis in Northern Ontario, the | Communist Party has put forward a comprehensive alternative that envisages the takeover of foreign-owned pulp and paper mills, the possible nationalization of Canadian-owned mills, and a crown corporation for fishing and fish processing on Lake Superior, Nipigon and other waters. A Plan for the North, the Com- munist Party alternative, ‘‘starts with a fundamental change in di- rection people’s priorities come before corporate profits.”’ The alternative challenges monopoly control by Canadian and American companies. The fundamental cause of the prob- lem, the party points out, ‘‘is pri- vate ownership of the resource industries dominating Northern Ontario, resulting in over $15-bil- lion per year in profits to corpora- tions which are not reinvested i in the Northern economy.”’ The party centres on six major areas of action for change. In- cluded are the just settlement of Native people’s land claims, af- firmative action for women and youth, and action to protect the environment. Forest Industry Along with the takeover (with consideration for some form of compensation minus all environ- mental clean-up costs) and nationalization of pulp and paper, the plan proposes reforestation, the establishment of forestry ma- chinery production, the diversi- fication of wood products beyond pulp and paper, and democratic control of the industry. There would be funding for Lakehead University to ‘‘ensure forestry machine research and development take place on an on- going basis.’ In commercial fishing, the party proposes possible joint ven- tures between government and small business, with financial in- centives, along with the bold new idea of.a crown corporation. ‘Part of our proposal,’ it States, *‘is that Native people be a major player in this new ven- ture,’” which would help end ‘‘the injustice and racism that has plagued the North, and whichis in some degree entrenched in economic discrimination.”’ Commercial Fishing A viable fishing and processing industry, as well as the produc- tion of a wider range of wood pro- ducts than simply pulp and paper, would help the North diversify. The Communist Party says both the federal and provincial 6 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 9, 1987 aw. The Great Lake Forest Products plant. The CP is calling for the nationalization of pulp and paper, ensuring democratic control of the industry. governments could assist in marketing. Exporting raw materials from the North over the years has meant the export of jobs, espe- cially in the ore refining industry. To change the situation, the Communist Party proposes the establishment of an ore refining industry in the form of joint ven- tures (private/public) or by a crown corporation, to process metals in Northern Ontario. An important appendage is that these new enterprises incorporate the most stringent pollution control standards. A diversification progam of the type outlined above, says the Communist Party, would require the upgrading of Thunder Bay port facilities. Yet caution must be exercised: existing waterfront facilities should be used, instead of using the marshlands, which are ‘‘a major bird and fish breed- ing area.”’ The party calls for the federal and provincial governments to undertake the upgrading, . sub- sidies to ensure grain moves to Thunder Bay by rail for export, and a careful environmental . Study. To facilitate the diversification process, the transportation infra- structure would have to be up- graded as well. To do this, the party calls for widening of high- ways 17 and 11, the building of a modern communications tower, and mandatory reduction in energy costs for northern con- sumers and industrial users. Bold Alternative The paper concludes: The North can’t go on in the old way . The Communist Party’s alter- native is a bold one ... (and) not easily implemented . .. However, fellow residents will see the need for major intervention ... by the government on the people’s be- half, rather than continue the old pattern of corporate- domination and exploitation.”’