~ All-in unity needed : election looms — tion, which may be held this June, take place in conditions of a continu- ing economic Crisis, growing political in- stability, a shift to the right by the Trudeau government and by monopoly, and a stepped up drive against the stan- dards of the working.class and working people. At the same time a growing up- surge is beginning to take shape among workers, farmers, students and working people generally against the crisis policies of monopoly. The shift to the right within the parties of monopoly is more than a tactical man- euver; it reflects the inability of state ‘monopoly capitalism to get out of the crisis, and the efforts of monopoly to place its main burden on the backs of the working people. _ This shift to the right on the eve of an _ election is not merely a tactical man- - euver by the government to improve its _ Standing with the U.S. Government and with monopoly in Canada. It reflects rather the interests of monopoly which, notwithstanding tactical differences within its camp, is united in the drive to overcome the crisis at the expense of the working people, their jobs, standards and rights. At the same time it represents Prin wich may for a federal elec- _an effort by the government to take the - _ ground from under the feet of the Con- servatives and prevent them from capitalizing on what is estimated as a conservative swing by a growing body of Canadians, as well as from a desire for change which the Conservatives hope to benefit from. Indeed the Conservatives are trying to give a reactionary twist to this desire for change and push Canada further to the right. IDENTICAL STAND OF TWO OLD LINE PARTIES The positions of the two main parties of monopoly are almost identical except _ for some minor tactical differences. Both advocate policies to make the working _ people bear the burden of the crisis. Both veer towards integration and continen- talism. Both support a stepped up arms drive, veer away from détente and to-' wards cold war. Both refuse to face up to the nature of the crisis in Quebec. The New Democratic Party has not _ advanced a democratic alternative to the crisis policies of monopoly; rather than: _ mobilizing the working class and dem- - ocratic movement for an _ effective fightback, it keeps on retreating and evading the necessity of measures to curb the power of monopoly and the multinational corporations through ~ nationalization. Unite in action for new policies End monopoly contro! of Parliament William Kashtan, leader of the Communist Party of Canada. Through Mr. Broadbent it has lent it- self to anti-Sovietism. It has foregone the struggle for social reforms. It has sup- ported wage controls where it was in government rather than advancing a comprehensive program to curb inflation by limiting the power of monopoly. It has avoided coming to grips with the crisis of Confederation and continues to sidestep the national question. By doing so it has left the field clear to the old line parties in’ Quebec weakened its electoral position on an all-Canadian scale. The compromising position of the right-wing NDP leadership led to its elec- toral defeat in B.C. and in Manitoba. It may well suffer further set backs unless it begins to break with a policy of con- ciliationism with capitalism and under- takes, together with the Communist Party and other democratic forces a con- sistent and many-sided struggle against monopoly power. The NDP’s electoral policy is pre- sently geared to that of becoming the balance of power in a minority govern- — ment situation, be it Liberal or Conserva- tive. Mr. Broadbent has already indi- cated that the NDP would be prepared to _cooperate with either Liberal or Con- servative minority governments. It is worth noting that while the NDP right wing is prepared to cooperate with the parties of monopoly, it continues to resist cooperation with the Communist Party around a common program of struggle against monopoly. Such a policy will neither protect the working people from the effects of the crisis nor help shift the political balance in parliament in favor of the working people. Nothing is to be gained were the working class and democratic movement to tail behind the Trudeau government which our 23rd Convention (October 1976) correctly declared ‘‘was veering to the right’’. To do so or to turn to the. Tories would subordinate the interests of the working class and democratic movement to monopoly and its crisis policies. However it is not inevitable that the drive to the right will succeed. DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE The working class and democratic forces are strong enough to turn back the drive to the right and to political reaction. The way forward lies through the strug- gle for a real democratic alternative, the realization of a democratic coalition in- cluding NDP and Communist Party. On the road towards the achievement -of such a democratic alliance and taking all factors into account. the Communist Party believes the interests of the working class and democratic movement would be best advanced around the slogan of ‘‘elect = a progressive majority including Com- munists to parliament around new policies to ensure real change’’. Focusing on the question of government even though it may not yet be a realizable objective at this time, nevertheless can act as a stimulant of the working class and democratic forces and impel consideration of the kind of democratic alternative the times call for. Thus the proposal for a progressive majority opens up the struggle for the united front ina new way and around the battle for new policies and a new direc- tion for Canada. If all-in unity and cooperation were achieved, embracing the working class and democratic movement in English- speaking Canada and the national and democratic movement in French Cana- da, it could transform the situation. On. the other hand, if no such cooperation is forthcoming the Trudeau Government will continue veering to the right to satisfy monopoly and U.S. imperialism. The coming Federal. elections are therefore of great importance. Indeed the most important issue before the people is how to extricate the country from the deepest and most protracted crisis it has experienced for some years, check and reverse the drive on living standards and jobs, and to move people leftwards. What is involved here is the battle be- tween a monopoly and democratic way out of the crisis, the maintenance of the status quo or the achievement of real change around new economic and social policies. struggle, the united fightback of the working class and organized trade union movement against the crisis policies of monopoly, is a crucial part of the preparations for a federal election, and in the post election period as well. This is the central task today. The trade union movement today is confronted with a wage-cutting drive, an attack on incomes, collective bargaining rights and jobs, under cover of a cost cutting campaign being waged by monopoly and supported by the monopoly-owned media. It is in the name of cost cutting that attacks have been opened up on Unemployment Insurance payments, minimum wages, pensions, social ser- vices. This goes together with rationali- Te extension of the anti-monopoly ' zation and automation in industry di- rected to displace labor and increase production, prices and profits. This makes it necessary to work out an effec- tive wages and economic policy to ena- ble the working class to fight back and defend its living standards. The crucial task today is to win the battle for jobs and for secure living standards. To win on this front calls forthe maximum of unity. Experience shows that unity -won't come of itself, that it will be achieved in the course of continuous and patient ef- forts, and over the resistance of the right wing. Needless to say there will be no ~ unity without a struggle for it. It must be clear to the left wing within the New Democratic Party, and in the trade union movement, that the basic problems con- fronting the working people can’t be sol- ved by any single section of the working class. They can be solved only through cooperation of the entire working class and democratic movement around a far reaching program of radical reform which challenges monopoly power. Nor can the battle be won if it is limited to the area of collective bargaining alone. It must be combined with political ac- tion, with the struggle for new policies on the political front whose aim must be to. shift the balance of power away from the og _ing themes: ‘partnership of our two peoples in a ; ; on the socialist perspective. This must THE DEMOCRATIC WAY OUT OF THE CRISIS —— ot Our Platform should correspond with ‘the main ideas we are putting forward. At the same time it should be a relatively short statement and as concrete as poss ble. The esséntial points of the program _ have already been indicated in the Ope? E Letter of our Party to the First Ministers Conference and incorporate the follow- 1. Take Canada out of the crisis — pu! it back to work — give youth a future — create one million new jobs — raise pul” chasing power and freeze prices. 7 2. Prevent the break-up of Canada — adopt a new made-in-Canada Con } stitution based on an équal volunti national state. 3. For genuine Canadian independence — stop the take-over of Canada — public Pn ownership of natural resources and % energy — establish Canadian control ove . the economy. 4. Extend democratic rights — give working people a voice on all questions of concern — end racism and diserimin&” tion. ; 5. End the arms race — say no to the 4 Neutron Bomb — withdraw Canada from Pp NORAD and NATO. Fle The Communist Party will run as many candidates as it possibly can. Al ready 75 candidates have ‘been nomi » nated. parties of monopoly and towards thé Mat working class and democracy. re What stands in the way of this af ‘ right-wing policies of class collaboration: | This was reflected in the proposals fo! t tripartism which have been decisively © d jected but which may be advanced agal S in new forms ... Right-wing policy § 0 reflected by resistance to undertaking a! ing all-out and united fightback against the im crisis policies of monopoly. It is reflecte™ ie is 0 in efforts to rekindle the cold war in the "!S trade union movement with the aims: af th isolating and defeating the left wing, ing cluding the Communists, in efforts : step up anti-Sovietism and play the Cat ter game of ‘‘human rights’. : :. However policies of class collabora: "* tion, of anti-Sovietism and anti Tes communism never advanced the if” p terests of the working class and trad¢_ t union movement before and will not ad” vance them now. In reality, such policie> *"V are the surest way to retreat and dele | for the working class. a % LEFT-CENTRE COOPERATION. ke At our previous Central Commie zs meeting we elaborated on the question”