ude: VICTORIA — In a seven-part 1983 election platform the B.C. New Democratic Party has spelled out a detailed plan to restore jobs and social services in British Columbia. It is by far the most extensive platform ever presented by the NDP and is indicative of the party’s determi- nation to offer a well rounded alternative to the dicreditted Socred government. Under the heading “Secure Jobs for British Columbians” the NDP lists seven areas where it Says immediate action can be taken to attack B.C.s record 13% levels of unemployment. In addition to the estalishment of a Commun- ity Recovery and Development Fund which would create some 14,000 construction jobs, the party is proposing: e Action to promote the small and medium- sized business sector with leanding pro- grams thorugh the NDP created B.C. Develop- ment Corporation, a new B.C. business development act, review of Socred taxation policies, co-operative employment grants to help B.C.-owned businesses hire young people, a rechanneling of research and development funds to more appropriate scale technology, and a non-governmental B.C. trading corpora- tion to assist in world wide marketing. © Action in the Forest Industry to restore the forest and ranges fund, a major additional investment in reforestation, co-operation with the federal govenrment to facilitate construc- tion of forestry roads, initiatives to redevelop the industrial base of the forest industry. © Special Needs for Employment Programs to assist women and young people overcome the obstacles they face by restoring the many thousands of jobs cut by the Socreds in areas where women and young people are usually employed, such as health, education and social service area. In addition, the NDP program pledges to implement a variety of programs to promote employment for women and young people by implementing affirmative action programs, equal pay for work of equal value, better child care, and permanent and predicta- ble summer employment programs for youth. e Action to create Jobs and Energy from Waste Wood and Garbage thus utilizing the half of every tree that is currently left as waste and promoting environmental protection and enhancement at the same time. This program could create 12,000 jobs over four years. e Legislation to guarantee job security by implementing minimum standards on layoff . Notice, severance pay and consultation on closures or layoffs. © Creation of a Tourism Development Fund with a representative advisory council to promote the provincial tourist industry. Part two of the NDP election platform, titled “Economic Redevelopment”, commits the NDP to moving away from the all-or-nothing approach of megaprojects to a more diversified, modernized economy. In the resource sector such a redevelopment would include: © Diversification of the forest industry, a prohi- bition on the export of raw logs cut on crown land, initiatives to improve the forest yield and other measures to require the provision of jobs as a precondition for timber licenses. e Creation of a B.C. Ministry of Fisheries to ensure the processing of fish in B.C. and stop the takeover of the industry by foreign interests. NDP PLATFORM © Efforts to stabilize employment in the mining industry and upgrade mineral resources, anda renegotiation of the key terms of Northeast coal to give priority to jobs for British Columbians. e Support for the B.C. agriculture industry to maximize the jobs created by food processing in B.C. Further protection of scarce farmland by limiting the right of cabinet to remove farmland from the agricultural reserve as Social Credit has done. An NDP government would seek to diversify the economic base in B.C. by promoting the development of manufacturing industry linked to the provinces natural resources and assist in the expansion of markets elsewhere in the world. A New Democratic Party administration would also reverse the trend toward centraliza- tion that has accelerated in recent years by promoting regional projects and an improve- ment of the quality of life in smaller communities. In the third section of the NDP platform “Provincial Government Finances and Tax Relief” the party pledges a major review of B.C.’s financial situation by independent auditors. Noting that the provincial debt has more than tripled since the outgoing government was elected in 1975, the NDP says a proliferation of government agencies and extravagances such as partisan political advertising with public money has contributed to deterioration in provincial finances. The NDP pledges to reinstate the renters tax credit and personal income tax credit for the 1982 taxation year; overhaul the school financing system; and restrain government fees, user charges and levies on ICBC premiums, Ferry Fares, and other government services. “Assuring Social Security and Human Servi- ces” is the fourth section of the election platform of the B.C. NDP. This section cites ten major areas where social Credit cutbacks and neglect have resulted in a decline in the level of social services in the province. They are: e¢ Health Care. The NDP will immediately reopen closed hospital beds in areas where needs are most urgent; give priority to long- term care and day care medical services, community health resources, home care and ambulatory services to free up acute care beds for the more seriously ill; medicare will be secured for the unemployed and those on fixed incomes; a denticare program will be intro- duced and a Health Planning Council established. © Education. The NDP will return planning of Icoal school needs to local school boards; establish a new school financing formula, strengthen the regional college system; and improve availability of early childhood and special needs education. e Seniors. The NDP will put a priority on developing additional seniors housing, ensure seniors do not pay more than 25% of their income on housing; improve the GAIN (MIN- COME) program; and introduce denticare for seniors. e Children. The NDP is committed to improv- ing the quality of existing child care, training for child care workers, and improving child care resources and facilities. e Housing. An extensive NDP housing pro- gram will include: creation of the B.C. Savings and Trust Corporation to help channel funds to priority housing needs; reintroduce rent controls; re-establish, through the Ministry of Housing and the B.C. Housing Corporaiton, the provincial presence in home construction; and promote non-profit co-operative housing. e Arts Development. The NDP willestablisha community-oriented B.C. Arts Board to pro- mote regional development of arts and cultural activities. © Conditions of Work. The NDP will reaffirm the independence of the Labour Relations Board and reaffirm the integrity of the Labour Code which has been increasingly eroded by Social Credit in favour of the employers; | provide Workers’ Compensation Board Protec- tion to farm workers; and develop additional health and safety minimum standards. e Cultural Diversity. The NDP will introduce programs to promote cultural diversity and tolerance, improve the availability of English- language training, and work to reduce cultural tensions resulting from the current state of the economy. e Disabled Persons. The NDP will amend the Human Rights Code to provide protection for disabled persons and work for greater oppor- tunities for the disabled in education, housing, work and access to leisure and social activities. e Legal Services. An NDP government will restore legal services cutback by the Sacred government. - 7 74 In Chapter five of the NDP Election Platform the NDP promises a “Consulting and Open Government”. “The NDP is committed to instituting regular session of the legislature, to circulate planned legislation, and to present regular budget state- ments. The NDP is determined to curtail the implementation of major policy changes through cabinet order rather than through legislative debate,” the platform declares. Social Credit “Dirty Tricks” are condemned, and the NDP promises to develop a code of ethics for elected officials. The NDP also pledges continuous consultation with industry, with communities and with affected groups. Part six of the NDP election platform is ‘Environmental Quality — Preservation and Restoration”. Seven major environmental princi- ples are outlined in this section including: Protection of life sustaining resources; the rights of other species to exist in their natural environ- ment and habitat; a commitment to environmen- tal planning and impact analysis; freedom of information and public-involvement; protection from environmental hzards; promotion of conser- vation, recycling and appropriate technologies; and the rule of law to clearly define the rights and obligations of citizens on environmental matters. “B.C.’s role in Canada and the World Com- munity” is the seventh seciton of the election platform. A strong plea for nuclear disarmament, opposi- tion to the testing of cruise missiles in Canada and a commitment that an NDP government will encourage community efforts to halt the use of nuclear arms and promote nuclear disarmament throughout the world are outlined in this section. Finally, the platform pledges that an NDP government will give British Columbia a sub- stantive role once again in national economic and other questions, in particular on such matters as fisheries, regulation of telecommuni- cations, control of offshore resources, and federal funding of social and medical programs. This summary of “The 1983 British Columbia NDP Election Platform” was prepared for “On The Level” by Editor Ron Johnson, and is not an official version of the platform. The full platform is available from NDP campaign offices and the E. C. NDP at 210-517 East Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1X4. Lumber Worker/April, 1983/7