BRITISH COLUMBIA _ Conservative govenment, _ Doctors and scientists tell us that if even only one megaton bomb were dropped on Vancouver in a nuclear war, 400,000 People would die immediately, while a similar number would die a horrible lin- gering death in which the survivors would envy the dead. Vancouver would become a nuclear wasteland — no light, no food, no shelter. The city would immediately become an inferno to be followed by far below-zero temperatures. Deadly radia- tion would surround and permeate every- thing. Most of the doctors and nurses would be killed and there would be no hospitals. But not to worry, Ottawa and Premier Bennett have come to the rescue. A nuclear bunker has been built near Nanaimo that will accommodate 340 men and women who will be bedded down, in what is coyly described as a ““warm-bed approach,” with enough good food and 340 people thus saved will be the provin- cial government together with some selected top bureaucrats and military Officers. Premier Bennett and his govern- ment will stoutly and bravely carry on and have even arranged to havea broadcasting Studio in the bunker so he can talk to the population, or what’s left of it. I can just imagine the sign over the bunker door: enough good drink to last 14 days. The. “Solidarity couldn’t beat us and neither can the atomic bomb! That’s the B.C. spirit!” Of course there’s a few details still to be worked out. How will they all get to the bunker in time? What will they do for food after 14 days? What will they do for air when all the air around them is contami- nated? But perhaps details like this aren’t that important. This mad and insane scheme apparently originates in the never- never land of Ottawa. They’re trying to tell Harry Rankin us that we will survive an atomic attack if we go into underground parking garages, _ underground shopping malls and base-- ments. Can anything be more stupid? I’m afraid it can. Federal officials are also telling us that we will have 30 days warning before a nuclear war takes place! Can you imagine Reagan giving the Soviets 30 days notice before he launches his long-planned pre-emptive first strike nuclear war? And can you imagine the Soviets waiting 30 days to retaliate? Rea- gan would give the Soviets exactly as much warning as Truman did to the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The new U.S. Pershing 2 and cruise missiles now being stationed in Western Europe can hit Berlin in 30 seconds, Prague in 60 seconds and Moscow in six minutes. And the new weapons the Soviet Union in retaliation is stationing in East Bloc countries and in submarines close to the U.S. will hit Western Europe and the USS. in the same length of time. There will be no warning if a nuclear war breaks out. Canada would be a target only because we are under the control of the Pentagon through NATO and Norad and because U.S. nuclear weapons are stationed on U.S. submarines in Canadian waters and USS. air bases on Canadian soil. Let’s face it, there is no protection against nuclear war except to stop it before Mad’ bunker scheme feeds war mentality it starts. And that means stopping Reagan from escalating the arms race any further, dropping his plans for a first strike nuclear war, and sitting down to some genuine negotiations which are unlikely to start unless he withdraws those Pershing 2 and cruise missiles from Europe. Or until a new and different U.S. president shows some sanity. I don’t think Ottawa is just being stupid with its proposals for nuclear shelters for government officials and 30 days warning. I think it is trying to brainwash us into accepting that a nuclear war won’t be all that bad. Trudeau’s peace initiative is commen- dable and I wish him success. But I’d feel a lot happier about his chances of success and his sincerity if he told the U.S. there will be no testing of cruise missiles in Can- ada, if he withdrew Canada from NATO and Norad and if he declared Canada a nuclear weapons-free zone. I know the world situation looks very gloomy right now. But I also have a lot of faith in people and in their common sense. I believe that public opinion and especially and active peace movement can still save Canada and the world. But only if we act and demonstrate our concerns and feel- ings so strongly that Ottawa and Victoria can’t ignore them. Defeat of right is target: CP Canada’s Communists will be fielding more than 50 candidates in an upcoming federal election that is crucial in determining whether Canada will embark ona course of militarism and unemployment or strike new Policies aimed at jobs and real Canadian independence, says national leader Bill Kashtan. _ “The main question is whether progres- Sive forces can defeat the election of a neo- (an election) which would be a step backward and would Mean great hardship for the Canadian People,” Kashtan, in Vancouver last week, told the Tribune. The answer to that is strong unity among _ all progressive forces — including Com- Munists and the New Democratic Party, Said the CP general secretary. A vote for the Conservatives by those desiring a change from Trudeau’s Liberal government will be “jumping from the fry- ing pan into the fire,’ Kashtan warned. “The Tories have increasingly become the Cold War party in Canada. . .they’re the Ones following Reagan’s militaristic policies _ abroad and cutbacks of social services and Wage rollbacks at home.” Defining the main issues of the election as “peace, jobs and Canadian independence,” Xashtan had praise for the prime minister’s World peace effort. But, he said, “this campaign would have a greater effect if the prime minister over- Came the contradiction, the reality of (his _ §Overnment’s) testing the cruise missile in Canada.” Trudeau’s cause would also be streng- thened by Canada’s calling for a declaration Of no first-use by nuclear powers and a — freeze on weapons development and _ deployment. And it would be “useful for Trudeau to call for the withdrawal of the New missiles stationed in Western Europe, ___and fora fresh start to arms reduction nego- tiations,” he said. > On the plus side, said Kashtan, is Tru- _ deau’s decision to visit with the heads of © State of Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic and the USSR. The CP also appreciates positions such as that taken by Health Minister Monique Begin, who has made government opposi- tion to hospital user fees a campaign issue. by But, Kashtan cautioned, there is “no gua- BILL KASHTAN.. .peace, jobs, Canadian independence election issues. rantee” a re-elected Liberal Party will pursue any of its current initiatives, particu- larly if, as expected, Trudeau is no longer leader. ~ The federal Liberals have also accorded token recognition of the foreign ownerhsip of Canada’s industries and resources, estab- lishing the Foreign Investment Review Agency and launching the National Energy Program. But, Kashtan told reporters at a press conference Jan. 22, “that’s as far as the Liberals are prepared to go — and that is totally inadequate.” Meanwhile, the dominant neo-conserv- ative element of the federal Tories “say they'll overturn even that,” he warned. The Communist Party will head to the polls with a platform of full employment, urging short-term “emergency measures” such as public works programs, and longer- term solutions involving the strengthening of a publicly owned manufacturing sector, said Kashtan. : Canadian workers also face record unemployment through “the scientific and technological revolution,” Kashtan noted. ‘“That’s why we call for a reduction in the hours of work with no reduction in pay, starting with federal departments, including crown corporations and provincial operations. ; “This must be coupled with legislation giving trade unions the right to a say in policies on technological change,” Kashtan stated. ; Policy initiatives by the federal Liberals have taken away key platform elements from the NDP, Kashtan said. Therefore, the social democrats “‘need to establish a new program.” “The Tories look backwards, and the Liberals stand for the status quo. That’s why the NDP and Communists need to join hands to achieve real change. “Tt’s in our common interests to sit down and discuss the election and election stra- tegy, so as to elect a large progressive bloc, including Communists, to Parliament.” B.C. begins nominating candidates In British Columbia, Communists will- be carrying the party’s platform to voters in at least 10 federal ridings. Six candidates have so far been nominated. On Vancouver Island, former school - board chairman and current member of the regional district board, Mark Mosher, is contesting the Nanaimo- Alberni riding. International Woodworkers member Sy Pederson is again contesting the Comox-Powell River riding. During the last federal election Pederson, who is camp chairman in the Menzies Bay log- | ging camp, was the top vote-getter of all Communist Party candidates. Fellow woodworker Ernie Knott, an executive member of the Victoria and District Labor Council, will carry the party’s banner in the Saanich riding. In Surrey, Young Communist League educational director and bookstore worker Ray Viaud has been nominated, while longshoreman Rod Doran is the CP candidate for New Westminster- Coquitlam. The party’s organizer in the Greater Vancouver region, Miguel Figueroa, a former student organizer, is running in- North Vancouver-Burnaby. Party candidates will also be contest- ing the ridings of Richmond-Delta, and the Vancouver East, Centre and Kings- way ridings. Additional ridings are under consideration. s ' MIGUEL FIGUEROA SY ' PEDERSON PACIFIC TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 1, 1984 e 3 ES eget . : ee,