Canada-Cuba trade increased

By NIKOLAI BRAGIN »

OTTAWA — Raul Leon, presi-
dent of the National Bank of
Cuba, met in the Canadian capi-
tal with Canadian Secretary- for
External Affairs MacEachen, Mi-
nister of Finance Turner and Mi-
nister of Industry and Commerce
Gillespie to negotiate on ques-
tions connected with the deve-

lopment of bilateral Canadian- .

Cuban relations and, in parti-
cular, on new credits for the
purchase of Canadian equip-
ment. Canada has already grant-
ed Havana $70-million worth of
loans and credits on favorable
terms for the acquisition of sea
vessels, a fish cannery and
manufactured goods.

The importance of the con-
tracts reaches far beyond the
framework of ordinary trade re-
lations. They are another confir-
mation of the utter failure of
the attempts by U.S. reactionary
circles ‘to isolate” Cuba. Realis-
tically-minded statesmen and
political leaders in the Western
countries believe that the main-
tenance of normal relations with
Cuba promotes the cause of in-
ternational detente and peace.

On Feb. 3, last, Treasury

Board President Jean Chretien -

joined his cabinet colleague,
Energy Minister ~MacDonald in
a flight to Winnipeg, where
these federal ministers had a
rendezvous with Premier Davis
of Ontario, Premier Lougheed of
Alberta, and three oil tycoons.
The latter were: Jack Armstrong
of Imperial Oil, Jerry McAffee of
Gulf Oil and R. V. Sellers of
Cities Service Oil.

The meeting at the Interna-
tional Inn in Winnipeg had been
called in answer to a demand
made upon the federal and pro-
vincial governments that unless
they were prepared to contribute
one billion dollars at once, the
oil tycoons would pull out of the
deal for development of oil pro-
duction from the Athabaska tar
sands in Alberta.

The oil tycoons got exactly
what they wanted. It was a com:
plete surrender on the part of
MacDonald and Chretien, Davis
and Lougheed, as the represen-
tatives of the capitalist federal
and provincial governments. The
agreement reached: a minimum
of $600-million in cash now,
more if costs should escalate;
Alberta to underwrite facilities
to the tune of hundreds of addi-
tional millions; federal easement
of taxes on Syncrude, plus a firm
commitment to make Canadians
pay world price for Syncrude oil
once the privately owned and
controlled oil consortium got in-
to production. Consequences: to
double the present domestic
price of oil and set a precedent
for all companies to follow suit,
all down the line.

* * *

As George Harris, Secretary-
Treasurer of the UERMWA-CLC
points out in UE News: “. . . Syn-
crude is above all else irrefutable
proof that under capitalism it is

big business monopolies which
run the country and that govern-
ments, in the final analysis, are
servants of the monopolies .. .
_ This monumental sell-out, and
sell-out it was, will probably out-
rank other sellouts to Canadian
and foreign capital, whether
those made to the early railroad

WEUEEGUUGUURUGEOEUUUREGUEOUEOUGUCURECEEOEGEEGOUE

This article by the Ottawa cor-
respondent of the Soviet news-
paper, Pravda, was published in
the USSR Feb. 23, under the
title: Following the Course of
Reality. Appearing at a time
when Canada’s economy could
benefit from increased ‘trade
with the socialist world, it is of
interest to Canadians to note

the considerable Soviet under-

standing of a widespread desire
in Canada for independent trade
and foreign relations.

Judging from the statements
of official representatives and
leading Canadian press bodies, it
is from these very positions that
the current Canadian Govern-
ment approaches the question of
the development of relations
with Cuba.

Canadian-Cuban trade is gain-
ing momentum. In the course of
the past year its volume doubled
as compared with 1973, and
reached $200-million. Much im-
portance is attached here to the
trip to Cuba by A. Gillespie,

Minister of Industry and Com-
merce, scheduled: to be held in
March. This will be the first time
that such a high-level Canadian
Government delegation has vis-
ited Havana.

’ The trips to Cuba of Canadian
parliamentarians and representa-
tives of various public organiza-
tions have become an important
factor for strengthening Cana-
dian-Cuban relations. Tourist ex-
changes between the two coun-
tries have now reached consider-
able proportions.

Canadian-Cuban relations are
based on a realistic policy. It is
quite clear that a consolidation
of this policy cannot but favor-
ably influence the general deve-
lopment of the situation in the
entire western hemisphere. It is
no secret that a number of states
in the hemisphere still follow the
old dogma of Washington which
had tried. to ostracize. revolu-
tionary Cuba. Experience shows
that this policy has. no future.
The future belongs to those who
pursue a policy of peaceful co-
existence. and good-neighborly
relations, in the spirit of the
times.

LABOR SCENE [eure

BY BRUCE MAGNUSON

capital and

the state versus labor

tycoons who controlled the
Canadian Pacific Railway, or the
American power monopolies
who were given the Columbia
River system to powerfeed in-
dustries below the border. Mono-
poly control of the Athabasca
oil sands tightens the grip of
American control, and further
erodes Canadian. independence.”
An advertisement, published last
December in the USA by The
Oil, Chemical and Atomic Work-
ers International Union, states
the following:

“|. Corporations would like
you to believe that workers
cause inflation. But it just ain’t

so. Our real returns for each bar- -

rel of oil we process have de-
creased 28% since 1961; the. in-
dustrys’ real returns per barrel
have increased 135%. They're
getting fat while we, as work-
ers and. consumers tighten our
belts . . . Our increased produc-
tivity makes it possible for the
industry to raise our wages, low-
er prices, and ‘still make a fair
profit.” ‘ ug *

*

While the above shows clearly

*

_that_it is monopoly and its

governments that foster and
feed inflation and the resultant
economic. and sotial conse-
quences, any and all efforts by
labor to protect jobs and buying
power is vigorously opposed.
This situation has reached an in-
tolerable level in the present
strike of 19,000 members of the
Public Service Alliance of Can-
ada, who are treated like chattel
slaves by the Treasury Board.
Coming back from the Winni-
peg sell-out to the oil companies,
Treasury Board President Jean
Chretien engages in sheer provo-
cation when he talks to the
House of Commons about prose-
cuting what he calls “illegal”
strikers. All that striking PSAC
members are asking is a wage
settlement approaching 90% of
parity with tradesmen in private
industry. Not an unreasonable
position. It is the government's
position that is both unreason-
able and untenable. :
In the meantime the postal
unions negotiations are dragging

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1975—Page 4

on, while the old contract ex-

pired last December 31. Here
too, a provocative stance by the
government can only aggravate
an already explosive situation. It

is clear that behind the tough .

posture stands big business. As
Toronto Star wrote editorially on
March 1, the postal truck driv-
ers who refused to cross Public
Service Alliance picket lines
“should have been suspended
summarily, and replacements
brought in to move the mail, un-
der police escort if necessary.”
This is nothing short of a declar-
ation of war on labor, with the
government leading the way in
public services to set a pattern
for private industry.
co %*

Demand Ottawa stop
procrastination and
negotiate in good faith
: Only public opinion, articulat-
ed and brought to bear on this
situation, can force Ottawa to

change its course.

Resolutions,.telegrams and let-
ters from organizations and in-
dividual citizens ought to pour
into Ottawa demanding that the
just and reasonable demands of
the striking Public Service Alli-
ance members be granted with-
out any further delay and pro-
crastination. ‘

Postal workers must be grant-
ed the right to negotiate techno-
logical _ change. Negotiations
must be carried out in good
faith with the aim of speedy
conclusion of new contracts, giv-
ing justice to the workers in-
volved and impeccable service to
the people of Canada.

The Canadian Labor Congress
and its affiliates across the coun-

‘try would be fully jutified in

demanding that more concern be
shown by members of parlia-

-ment for the plight of working
people. The NDP, which. has.

taken a reasonably tough stand
on the Syncrude sellout, could
likewise help to mould a public
fight-back in support of the pub-
lic service workers at this time.
The weight of public opinion is
with labor. The point is to let
Ottawa know it in unmistakable
terms. aan =~

gency action to 1

adoption of a new
policies.
The telegram read:

get worse.

Party leader.

minister, said:

Create one million jobs!

TORONTO — In a telegram to Prime Minister Trudeau,
Feb.’ 18, the Communist Party of Canado called for emer-
“provide one mi
budget based on full employment

Last week's report of 817,009 unemployed and prospects
of over one million unemployed within next few months as
the U.S. economy sinks into a depression, emphasizes the
need for emergency action by the Government to protect
the jobs and living standards of the Canadian people.

It is not good enough.to state that Canada is not as bad
as other countries. The situation is bad enough and could

As stated in a previous letter to Finance Minister Turner,
the Communist Party proposes the adoption of a new
budget based on full employment policies.

We urge your government to take action alorig these
lines. Canada needs one million new jobs. ;

The telegram was signed by William Kashtan, Communist

Acknowledging the Communist
Claude Desjardins, correspondence secretary to the prime

On behalf of the Prime Minister | acknowledge receipt of
telegram of February 18 expressing concern about condi-
tion of Canadian economy. You may be assured that your
communication is being given all due consideration.

Ilion new jobs” and the

Party communication,

Building trades resume [|
tax payments to CLC |

By RICHARD ORLANDINI

Representatives of the AFL-
CIO building trades unions in
Canada have resuméd the 'pay-
ment of their per capita tax to
the Canadian Labour. Congress.

In an interview with the Tri-

bune, Don Montgomery, vice
president of the CLC, said, “The
CLC received: a letter in late
January from Robert Georgine,
the chairman of the Building and
Construction Trades Department
of the AFL-CIO, stating that the
unions had been instructed by
Georgine to resume their per
capita tax to the CLC.”

According to Montgomery,
“neither the CLC nor the build-
ing trades international unions
made any concessions in resolv-
ing the autonomy dispute, and
the withholding of funds from
the CLC by the U.S.-based
unions really arose’ out of a mis-
understanding of what the Cana-
dian autonomy issue was all
about:” :

For almost six months, more
than a dozen building trades
unions had been withholding
their per capita tax in protest of

the CLC’s decision to strengthen |

Canadian autonomy for U.S.-
based international unions in
Canada. The total amount -with-
held over that time period was
said to amount to approximately —
$350,000. Ge

“The CLC didn’t say anything:
after it received the Georgine
letter promising the resumption
of tax,” Montgomery said, ‘““be- 7
cause we wanted to wait until
some of the cheques began to
arrive. We can say now that the
cheques are arriving.”

One of the main points of dis- -
sensicn between the CLC and —

‘the building trades international

unions was the standard adopted
at the 1970 CLC convention in —
Edmonton that there be an
“Election of Canadian officers by
Canadians.” Many building |
trades international unions still
lump the Canadian membership ©
with the U.S. membership and
both-groups vote on the choice
of a vice president for Canada.

In the telephone interview
with the Tribune, Montgomery
repeatedly said, “There is no
change in the decision of the
CLC convention.” :

{el 2S

Bak Sore

5,

“I've called the family together to announce that, because
of inflation, I'm going to have to let two of you go.”

pt aga:

OF