DRUG PRICES Dr. Ray Parkinson the New Democrat candidate for Van- eouver Burrard criticizes the Federal government for fail- ing to take effective action to reduce drug prices. He said that the recently promised re- moval of the hidden Federal Sales Tax on drugs was long overdue but would make little real change in the price to the buyer. Dr. Parkinson quoted from the Hall Report on Health Services to show that Cana- dian drug prices are much higher than the world price because our drug industry is controlled almost entirely by subsidiaries of European and American drug firms that can hide behind our Patent, Trademark and Tariff laws. These laws were clearly shown by the Hall Commis- sion to be a major factor in our high drug prices but the Liberals have failed to take any action to change these laws. The laws were originally designed to protect Canadian industry but because of our small market the basic and active ingredients of most of our drugs are still imported. Despite this our drug prices bear no relationship to the world price. Dr. Parkinson stated that the rate of return on invest- ment for the Canadian drug industry was twice as high as for other manufacturing in- dustries in this country. He claimed that the Hall Com- mission was concerned that these the foreign controlled firms might even be making greater profits that were hid- den through working agree- ments with the parent firms. Dr. Parkinson claimed that the Liberal Government by failing to act on the Hall Re- THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER port in regards to drugs was contradicting it’s stated pol- icy of freer trade. He said that the Canadian drug firms re- ceive far more patent and trademark protection than their parent American firms and that the changes here would not harm Canadian workers’ jobs. 5 , 2nd Issue Oct., 1965 ae PSYAvareisy REAL SCANDALS 1964 JULY 5 ; Tory Terry Nugent killed New Democrat proposal to lower voting age to 18. JULY 9 Agriculture Minister Hays scuttled Liberal pledge to provide free milk to school children. JULY 14 Labor Minister MacEachen refused to protect Canadian | sailors replaced by cheap West Indian labour on Imperial Oil tanker “Imperial St. Lawrence.” JULY 24 Liberals say “NO” to their campaign promise to provide 10,000 university scholarships annually. JULY 27 Liberals admit giving painting contract for the painting of vet- erans homes to a company with a reputation for violating fair wage clauses in Federal contract. JULY 27 Tory Biggs of Athabaska said ‘| do not believe we need labour unions at all . . . This is still a jungle and the labour bosses are the biggest apes in the jungle.” AUGUST 6 Liberal Cowan of York-Humber proposed the selling of the CBC to private interests. AUGUST 14 Liberals admit paying $5,750,000 in rent in ten years for half a building only costing $6 million. AUGUST 25 Postmaster General Nicholson said that Northern Affairs Min- ister Laing did not have to keep promises he made to veterans when he was a candidate in 1963. OCTOBER 5 Agriculture Minister Hays refused to allow farm co-ops to borrow money for the purchase of machinery under govern- ment farm credit legislation. OCTOBER 19 Labour Minister MacEachen refused to add Remembrance Day as a statutory holiday with pay for Federal employees. OCTOBER 19 Liberals excluded workers in the Yukon and Northwest Terri- tories from the provisions of the Canada Labour Code. OCTOBER 28 Tory Horner of Jasper-Edson suggested selling of CBC to private interests. NOVEMBER 5 Liberal Ron Basford rushed to the defence of the Senate when the Senate blocked passage of the bill to establish the Bank of British Columbia. NOVEMBER 10 Health and Welfare Minister LaMarsh said “NO” to New Demo- crats’ proposal to pay old age pensioners a cost of living bonus immediately based on the cost of living increase since 1963. The best the Liberals could promise was “six bits in ’68”. NOVEMBER 12 Prime Minister Pearson refused to grant superannuated civil servants a pension increase to meet increased cost of living. NOVEMBER 16 Health and Welfare Minister LaMarsh passed the buck to the » when New Democrats proposed free medical and | services to senior citizens at 65. 1965 cd FEBRUARY 18 Liberals defeated New Democrat proposal for $1.50 minimum wage. FEBRUARY 19 : Liberals decided to hire disabled and handicapped persons for less than the Federal minimum wage of $1.25 an hour. | FEBRUARY 19 | Liberals defeated New Democrat proposal to grant three weeks holidays with pay to workers under Federal jurisdiction. : rs ¢ |] MARCH 8 | Indians barred by Liberals from participating in Canada Pen; sion Plan. MARCH 8 ‘ Liberals defeated New Democrat proposal to have fishermen treated as employees of the packing companies under the Canada Pension Plan just as they are treated under the Unem- ployment Insurance Act. MARCH 12 Liberals reneged on 1963 promise to make old-age assistance available to widows and single women at age 60. MARCH 15 4 Revenue Minister Benson said “NO” to New Democrats’ pro- posal to pay old-age security pension of $100 a month at 65 immediately. Tory Cantelon of Herrobert-Kindersley gave the same answer. MARCH 29 i Liberal Canada Pension Plan, which excludes 2,500,000 Cana- dians from benefiting from the plan, was passed despite New Democrat protests against this exclusion. & APRIL 7 nz Liberals and Socreds united to defeat New Democrat proposal to implement medicare now. ® APRIL 28 Liberals and Social Creditors combine to defeat a New Demo. crat proposal which would have granted income tax exemptions to single persons earning less than $1,500 a year and married people earning less than $3,000 a year. : MAY 3 t Prime Minister Pearson and Liberal Jack Davis, Coast-Capilano, said “NO” to New Democrat proposal to increase pensions of retired civil servants and widows of retired civil servants. — MAY 7 Liberals, Conservatives and Socreds combined to defeat New Democrat proposal to abolish the Senate. JUNE 14 Labour Minister MacEachen and Social Creditor Olson, Medicine Hat, opposed discussion on recommendations of Hall Com- mission on medicare. JUNE 15 - Liberals refused to consider an income tax reduction for workers who have to work away from home to cover their board and lodging and their transportation costs. JUNE 21 = Liberals refused to amend Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act“ so that workers on Federal government contracts would be © covered by the Canada Labour C igible for a | minimum wage of $1.25 an a and 50.5: on a x =