ll

CARADA.

world free from war.”

Youth delegates joined Quebec peace forces in a 1,000-strong march through
Montreal streets Oct. 24, protesting Reagan’s decision to build the neutron weapon
and deploy new rockets in Europe (top photo). Delegate after delegate expressed the
unity of the conference in its desire that the youth of the world “live out their lives in a

North America.
e youth meet |
| toprevent war

By STAN DALTON
MONTREAL — They came from ac-
ross North America and Europe to at-
tend the unprecedented Continental
Meeting of North American Youth for
Peace, Détente and Disarmament held
here Oct. 23-25 at the Université du

~ Quebec a Montreal.

From B.C. to the Maritimes, from the
USSR and West Germany to the United
States, 250 young people representing
hundreds of local, national and inter-
national youth organizations met to dis-
cuss the burning questions of war and
peace.

Sylvie Baillargeon, chairperson for the
preparations of the Continental Meeting
indicated in her opening remarks that this
was the first youth conference ever to
take place in Canada involving the World
Federation of Democratic Youth
(WEFDY). She was impressed with the
large number of organizations of centre
and left political perspectives, from
environmental and student organiza-
tions, trade union and peace groups,
women’s and high school committees
among others.

Baillargeon was moved by the sin-
cerity of the delegates reflected in part by
the fact they had to finance the cost from
their own pockets, and that the prepara-
tory work was executed with strictly
voluntary labor. ‘*They didn’t come to
this meeting for the sake of going to a
meeting’’, she said. :

From the outset the meeting was clear
in its opposition to the war aims of the
U.S. reagan Administration. In her
speech, Elena Antonia Mora, Secretary
of the U.S. organizing committee, said:
‘*This meeting is a clear indication that
the youth of our countries desire to live
out their lives in a world free of war.

‘The youth of the United States’’, she
added, ‘‘refuse to kill and be killed for
Reagan’s policies. This has been shown

clearly by the thousands of demonstra-

tions against the reinstitution of the draft,
and against nuclear arms. We will refuse
to be the cannon fodder of imperialism
now in even greater numbers than we did
during the war in Vietnam.”” -
Delegates rose to condemn the U.S.

_ plans to deploy the Pershing-2 and Cruise

missiles in Europe, the planned produc-
tion of the neutron bomb and the $1.5-

WFDY delegate takes the floor.
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOV. 6, 1981—Page 6

trillion U.S. military expenditures
scheduled for the next five years.

Igor Gagiryan, representing 47 youth
organizations in the Soviet Union, told
the gathering: ‘““The Soviet Union be-
lieves that it is necessary to stop the arms
race, not only because it destabilizes the
international situation by enhancing the
threat of nuclear confrontation, but also
because military expenditures detract
colossal material and labor resources
from creative purposes of humankind.’

The meeting expressed great interest
in the Soviet delegate’s remarks, and
young people from a variety of back-
grounds extended their solidarity and
support for his remarks which he con-
cluded by saying: ‘‘My participation here
as a representative of Soviet youth at this
meeting, is a modest attempt to help
serve the cause of peace, mutual under-

standing and friendship between the ©

younger generation of our nations.”
Joanne Stathopoulos, representing the
Congress of Canadian Women indicated
that ‘‘Never before has there been sucha
strong movement throughout the world
for peace. It is essential for the survival
of our children and all humanity that this
movement be still more powerful and un-
ited and become an invincible force.”
Rainer Butt, of the German Sccialist
Working Youth of West Germany was
very happy the Continental Meeting was
being held because, “‘ There is a shortage

of information in Europe about the peace —

movement in North America’’, he said,
while extending the solidarity of West
Germany's youth.

Jochan Richter, WFDY repre-
sentative said, ‘‘We have a deep and
serious international situation. It’s
necessary that youth in all continents
who deal with the peace question be ac-
tive in this field and make a contribution
to the peace movement.”’

Many delegates connected the fight
against racism with the struggle for
peace, and showed how inequality and
injustices are used to weaken the peace
movement and reap unprecedented pro-
fits for the merchants of death.

The broad range of issues raised by
delegates to the peace question reflected
the broad base of support for the North
Amenican peace forces. This was voiced
as the delegates took part in a 1,000-
strong demonstration against Reagan’s
plans to build the neutron bomb, to de-
ploy the Pershing-2 and cruise missiles in
Western Europe.

The marchers heard a plea to end the
arms race, strengthen détente, and pro-
ceed to disarmament. That evening de-
legates and observers were treated to an
exciting cultural event featuring the
Young Lions groups, Fabul Funk, and
the reggae band, 20th Century Rebels, all
donating their talents for the peace
cause. :

Baillargeon summed up the meeting by
pointing to the solid unity around peace
and to the new opportunities to build the
movement in North America. This was
fully supported by the U.S. and Euro-

pean delegations in their expressions of ©

solidarity with the youth of all countries

in their common struggle for peace,

détente and disarmament.

TRIBUNE PHOTOS — STAN DALTON

‘Students warn of campus |

Closings, tuition hikes

TORONTO —“We have been suffer-

ing cutbacks in education for the past

seven years’’ said Barbara Taylor, Pres-

ident of the Ontario Federation of Stu-

OFS head Barb Taylor warns that federal
cutbacks will erode education.

among others.

dents at a press conference called to out-
line their plans for the Oct. 29th ‘‘Day of
Protest’’. “‘But’’, she added, ‘‘the pro-
posed $1.5-billion cutback from federal
transfer of funds to the privinces for
post-secondary education this year is the
most severe by far.”’

Warning that if this proposal is imple-
mented as many as one in five campuses
could be closed in Ontario, that a 20-30%
reduction in course offerings could result
with tuition fees climbing to more that
$3,000, no more student aid grants to aid
living costs, and massive permanent lay-
offs of faculty and support staff, among
other cuts. ae

Taylor added that some campuses _
have a shortage of books because the
universities can’t affort to buy them. |

The students of each major Ontari0

‘centre will protest in a variety of ways. I?

Brampton, for example, they will picket
the home of Ontario premier Davis. At -
Convocation Hall, University of T°
ronto a meeting is planned featuring Sea
O'Flynn, President of the Ontario Publi¢
Service Employees Union, Cliff Pilkey:
President, OFL, and former Toront®
Mayor (now alderman) John Sewell