© labor calls parley on jobs crisis The B.C. Federation of Labor has called a special meeting of all affiliated unions on May 13 to discuss action “with respect to a campaign to fight government inaction on unemployment.” This was announced by Len Guy, BCFL secretary- treasurer. In a press statement Guy called Canada’s unemployment Situation a ‘national disgrace” and “‘a gruesome monument to Trudeau’s callousness - or Stupidity or both.” Commenting on the latest Statistics Canada figures on unemployment, Guy Said: “Statistics Canada now ad- mits to almost one million unemployed. It is generally recognized that these are minimum figures since they do not include a great many Canadians who have given up osm ae 18 ca 20° Friday, April 22, 1977 VOL. 39, No. 16 and quit attivel | looking for work. This situation is a national disgrace and _ its gravity is even greater when you consider that one in every seven working women and one in every seven young people are unemployed.”’ Pointing. out that the labor movement and many economists have pointed out that this critical situation is largely the result of the wage control program, Guy said, “‘the blind refusal of the federal government to recognize unemployment as a disaster and to endcontrols immediately is causing untold suffering to thousands of Canadian families.”’ Statistics Canada figures for March put “‘official” unem- ployment at a record-breaking 944,000 — the highest since records began in 1953. These Statistics also show that 341,000 of these have been job-hunting for 14 weeks or more. Cy Stairs, spokesman for the B.C. and Yukon Building Trades Council, called the situation “a pretty disgusting situation’ estimated that more than 20,000 of B.C.’s 50,000 to 60,000 con- struction workers are unem- ‘ployed. The fight for jobs will be one of the central themes of Van- couver’s May Day rally, Sun- day, May 1 at 2 p.m. at Tem- pleton High School, 727 Tem- pleton Drive. Speakers will include B.C. Federation of Labor president George Johnston, New Democratic Party representative James Lorimer, and Nigel Morgan, B.C. Communist Party leader, and — Demanding jobs for youth, members of the Young Communist League demonstrated outside the national press building in Ottawa recently. It is estimated that about 400,000 of Canada’s jobless are between 15 and 24 years of age. TENANTS ORGANIZE. More than 250 tenants in Vancouver's West End met at a rally in the West End Community Centre Sunday, April 17, and decided to launch a tenants’ organization. Photo shows Bruce Yorke, Secretary of the Vancouver Tenants Council, addressing the rally. See story, page 2. —Fred Wilson photo The Vancouver and District Labor Council has called on the provincial government to launch a public inquiry into the “irregularities” of MacMillan- Bloedel Ltd., admitted by the company in a press statement March 31. — Delegates to the council voted unanimously Tuesday night to endorse the executive board resolution and called on the B.C. Federation of Labor to press the demand for an inquiry. “There has to be a_ public inquiry,’ CUPE delegate Dave Werlin told the council in voicing support for the motion. ‘‘And if no one else will press for it then the labor movement must.” Werlin noted the press silence Opposition to legislation mounting Education _ minister Pat CGeer’s hoped-for swift passage Of Bill 33, the Independent Schools *Upport Act, encountered renewed °Pposition this week as the Van- Couver and District Labor Council, the Communist Party and the Home and School Federation added their voices to those who have already protested the un- democratic legislation. Last week, the New Democratic Lawyers seeking appeal in Leonard Peltier case Leonard Peltier’s lawyers have announced that they will appeal the Conviction of the 32-year-old native leader after a North Dakota court “Sund him guilty of first degree murder last Monday. _ The trial took place in secrecy with the public and newsmen barred rom the courtroom. The list of witnesses, however, showed that the Supposed eyewitness to the alleged crimes did not appear against Peltier, The testimony of the supposed eyewitness was used to ex- tadite Peltier to the U.S, from Canada. 2, defense will appeal the case on charges that the court con- ‘Istently refused to admit evidence on Peltier’s behalf. In particular ie judge would not admit evidence showing the role of FBI agents in €rcing witnesses to testify against Peltier. : : : g80vernment’s case against Peltier was ae entirely on cir § —"™stantial allegations. No witnesses were produced. Sent egation s S p Party caucus in Victoria declared its intention to oppose the bill and called for a referendum on the bill which would give financial aid directly from the province to separate schools. Both the Communist Party and the Vancouver and District Labor Council have demanded the with- drawal of the legislation. Giving public funds to private schools, most of which are religious schools privately maintained for private benefit, “violates the principle of a single non-sectarian public school system established when British Columbia entered Confederation and upheld by all governments for more than a century,’’ the resolution by the Vancouver and- District Labor Council stated. - The council resolution, advanced by the executive board and unanimously endorsed at the meeting Tuesday, called Bill 33 a _ “retrograde measure” which “is divisive and calculated to un- dermine the public school system without offering any new benefit or advantage to public education.” Fishermen’s delegate Homer Stevens told the council that he, like many others, had been taken aback when the legislation was introduced since ‘most people weren’t asking for it. “The bill is the result of a well- planned, well-orchestrated campaign,”’ he said, noting the ‘lobbying that had been carried out by advocates of separate schools. Stevens warned that “if we go this route — financing separate schools — divisions will be per- petuated and antagonisms deepened. And there won’t be the slightest benefit,” he said. Hal Griffin, also from the UFAWU, pointed out that, at the same time as the Social Credit government was proposing to aid _ Separate schools, Britain — the See BILL pg. 12 over the issue — the Tribune was the only paper to report full details of the Mac Millan-Bloedel irregularities — and suggested “maybe we're beginning to get a glimpse of the iceberg the tip of which was the Sommers case.” Werlin was referring to former Socred attorney-general Robert Bonner who was chief executive officer for the giant forest com- pany during thetime when many of the acknowledged irregularities took place. Noting that MacMillan-Bloedel only made public the irregularities because of the requirements of the U.S. Securities ‘and Exchange Commission, Werlin told the meeting ‘‘if this is what was made public, it suggests that there is more that has not been admitted.” “If there is this much smoke, there’s got to be a pretty big fire,” he said. Council secretary Paddy Neale echoed the demand for a public inquiry, pointing out that the in- vestigation which revealed the irregularities was entirely in- ternal, having been carried out by company officials. Tribune has new offices The Tribune has a new home! As of May 1, and perhaps a few days earlier, we will be located at Suite 101-1416 Commercial Drive, Vancouver V5L 3X9. Our new offices will be easier to get to— and more pleasant to visit. On the east side of Commercial Drive between Grant and Kit- chener Streets, the Tribune will be right in front of bus stops going north and south. Our customers will find ample parking on ad- jacent streets. Please note and change your records accordingly. We want to keep in touch! ——