Free Trade

There is a different course for B.C.

By MAURICE RUSH

Is there an alternative to a free trade
deal with the U.S.?

Contrary to what the advocates of the
deal claim, the agreement does not give
guaranteed access to the U.S. market for
Canadian or B.C. products. It provides
no security against U.S. protectionism
for forestry or any other B.C. industry. It
will not create new jobs.

Canada is at the crossroads. The path
of free trade leads to economic domina-
tion and integration with the U.S. and
loss of independence and jobs. B.C.
would be particularly vulnerable because
of its raw material economy. The alter-
native is to take the road of independent
development. The status quo is not the
answer.

We need new economic policies to put
people back to work, to strengthen the
Canadian economy through a large
measure of government intervention.
What are some of the new policies
needed to provide an alternative to free
trade?

First and foremost, we must adopt
new trade policies. Instead of putting
more of our eggs in the U.S. basket, we
should expand trade with all countries
on a mutually advantageous basis, with

long term credits available to third world
and socialist countries. B.C. industry
especially forestry, is already over-
dependent on the U.S. market. The free
trade deal would ensure that the forest
industry would remain permanently raw
material based.

To take advantage of world markets,
Canada and B.C. must diversify produc-
tion. A vast government-sponsored pro-
gram of manufacturing and processing
of wood products should be undertaken.
Instead of exporting raw logs, lumber,
pulp, and wood chips, we should work
towards manufacturing and exporting
prefabricated houses, sash and door
products, furniture, fine paper products,
plywoods and chemically treated woods.
Labour intensive industries to produce
new products for world markets is the
key to saving B.C.’s forest industry from
ultimate destruction.

The same approach should be taken
to all resource industries in B.C. Instead
of exporting huge quantities of mineral
ores we should be processing them in
B.C. We need a copper smelter and a
metals products industry. B.C. also
needs a government supported program

~ to develop its food processing industries,

including agriculture, fisheries, wineries

and beverage industry. B.C.’s food pro-
cessing industry has virtually vanished
and been sacrificed to U.S. interests. This
industry should be expanded to feed
Canadians and to sell B.C. food products
on the world market and to meet the
growing world demand for food.

MAURICE RUSH ... B.C. CP leader
outlines economic program for B.C.

One of the richest resources we have is
hydroelectric power. The free trade deal
with its continental energy arrangement
would be the bigget sellout in B.C.’s his-
tory. Canadian control of energy and
development of B.C.’s hydro resources
to provide industry and jobs should be a
priority. When the Columbia River
Treaty is renegotiated within the next ten
years, we should demand return of
downstream benefits in the form of
hydro. B.C.’s hydro power should be
integrated in a Canada-wide grid to pro-
vide low-cost power for all parts of the
country.

We also need a government-sponsored
housing program to provide decent,
adequate and affordable housing. A
massive reforestation program to restore
B.C. forests, and the launching of a ship-

building program to build a merchant —

marine rather than spending billions for
nuclear subs to bolster the U.S. military
strategy in the Arctic.

All the above measures are possible if
the will is there to implement them and
there are governments in Ottawa and
Victoria dedicated to putting Canada
first. A major step in that direction is
rejection of the free trade pact with the
Ss

SLSR SE RP RIT II II I EB 5 cI aa RO IN A eet cacoem
Challenging the Tories

Continued from page 5

ized trade, for the lowering of trade bar-
riers on a multilateral basis, that Canada
orient itself on GATT (the General
Agreement on Trade and Tariffs) rather
than on trade with the U.S. because in
bilateral trade alone, the advantages go
to the U.S. and disadvantages to Can-
ada. In GATT there is more room for
Canada to use the weight of other coun-
tries to counter the pressures of U.S.
imperialism.

time! way the right of
C2 Free Trade will take way 0

Canadians to make thelr :

The NDP has advanced a three-point
alternative: economic self-reliance; glo-
bal trade links; and fair trade between
Canada and the United States. They
favour sectoral agreements with the U.S.
like the Auto Pact, multilateral trade
through GATT, the development of
domestic industries, decentralized reg-
ional development programs, and gov-
ernment screening of foreign investment.
These are policies which generally move

Protect Ca

Boe ofall ie

in a progressive direction and could help
strengthen the degree of control by the
Canadian people over the economy.

_ Our party, the Communist Party, calls
for multilateral trade — the extension of
trade and other relations with the social-
ist and developing countries. At the same
time, we do not oppose trade with the
U.S., as long as it is not via a free trade
agreement that draws Canada further
into the American orbit.

Canada needs the ability to manoeu-
vre, to develop its own positions, and it
needs the framework to do so. We call
for the diversification of the economy so
we can use our vast resources to build
industry. This is a long overdue policy,
which we have long advocated.

We call for nationalization of the key
sectors of the economy and financial
institutions because in the final analysis,
unless control of our economic destiny is
wrested from the multinational corpora-
tions and the banks, it will not be possi-
ble for a government, even a people’s
government, to undertake the kind of
policies that are necessary. We realize
this is a longer-term objective, but it is a
necessary objective that the Canadian
people must not shy away from or refuse
to contemplate.

We call for a Canada-wide develop-
ment program that will help overcome
regional disparities, for regional and
other programs based on planning and
the active intervention of the govern-
ment. It is clear private enterprise will do
only what it thinks best for itself, and

what is in its interests from_ its
standpoint — profits. If private enter-
prise thinks bigger profits are to be made
in the U.S., that is where it will go, and
undertake no measures to develop the
Canadian economy.
The fight against free trade will be
successful only if it extends beyond

simply stopping this deal. It must be tied _

in and linked to the battle for new eco-
nomic policies; for the maintenance and
extension of social programs; for the
interests of women, young people,
farmers; for policies of full employment.
And not least with the battle for peace,
disarmament and survival.

Just to fight on one front — stopping

the deal — while significant, will not be. [

enough. It is important to bring about a
re-direction of policy which includes not
only an end to free trade, but a break
with the foreign policy pursued by the
U.S. and supported by the Mulroney

government. It means to fight for an |

independent foreign policy for Canada.
Finally, the coming federal election

will be crucial in this regard. The defeat |}

of the Mulroney government will be the
end of the free trade agreement if the
Liberalsand NDP keep their word. The

battle has to be tied to the defeat of the —

Mulroney Tories and the election of a
new government which will carry
through policies in the genuine interests
of the Canadian people. The working

class, working people, the trade union |
movement, have to be at the centre of |

this battle.

a

Pott tne eee eee ,

FRPaIBOUNE

Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C. V5K 1Z5. Phone 251-1186

| ppb paler lemmecde rl pale tbecraar ine heaters

eee eee eee ewes ere ses

lamenclosing 1yr.$200 2yrs.$350 3yrs. $500 Foreign 1 yr. $32 0)