Whether it i

ang the first to

1H
eS Democratic Pary
ment Ssued a new state-
sis of the (caling with the
ation aS anadian Confede-
Speciay , “2S Made public at
&b. 1] oe conference held
© House the press gallery of
‘buglas ton Commons by T. C.
Arty, ’ ““Ceral leader of the
The
ne ingqeoment asked for a re-
i eratio of the constitution,
Ueber of a special status
' Within Confedera-
me establishment of a
ied committee of
to study and re-
sals in Parliament specific
tributio respect to (1) the
ial oe Of federal and prov-
Poe (2) a special
stitution eee (3) a revised
Pendment fiaulae workable
e

he

Sh Statement, Mr. Doug-
the basic ois, ah updating
two fens Policies established
oc ore conventions.”
Patliamene Mr. Douglas and
Conf, €ntary colleagues at
che, one were Robert
Veay moet leader of the
Donald a Démocratique,
YS Ontas MacDonald, the

Ntario leader,

anad
&@ today faces a crisis

E Durin 5

™ the eels Press conference
DP leade. sn, Confederation,
ae T. C. Douglas was
oc ang for questions about
| 4 hig Ohswer Policy. Below

at is the NDP’s posi-

Dor “etheast Asia? ee

fon in American interven-
Vietnam and the

a th Vietnam?

* hay,

Us. Objected all along to
Ohgly dic vention, and I
Of Nop approve the bomb-
Reva Qo Vietnam . . . The
nveneg nference should be
8 Atriveg ., Modus vivendi
the Unitert the conference,

ted States refused to

erties t is on problems of peace, economic issues, civil

°F national rights, students in French Canada are always

SO for put forward their views and take a stand. This has

dents many: years now. This photo, taken in 1949, shows
Parading in support of striking school teachers.

which could result in the break-
up of Confederation,” the state-
ment declares. “This crisis has
been precipitated by a consist-
ent lack of leadership from a
succession of federal govern-
ments ... Unless the pressures
from the provinces are counter-
balanced by active, meaningful
initiatives from a strong federal
government, Canada eventually
will dissolve into a self-defeat-
ing regionalism, and her absorp-
tion by the United States will
only be a matter of time.”

After calling for a re-exami-
nation of the respective respon-
sibilities of the federal and
provincial governments, the
NDP’s new statement calls for
a “renewed and revised consti-
tution” to come into effect on

Canada’s 100th birthday in 1967.

Such a constitution, the state-
ment suggests, should containa
preamble referring to “the his-
toric partnership of English-
speaking and French-speaking
peoples and to contributions
made by Canadians of other
ethnic origins. It should make
clear that Canada as a nation
has respect for individual rights,
the protection of historic rights
of religion, education, and
language, and a legislative par-
liamentary system based on the

British model.”

presence of American troops in
Sight it ogee think Canada, as
a member, should take the res-
ponsibility to reconvene it.
Otherwise, the hostilities in
Vietnam could escalate to an-
other world war... :
“J would like to see the Unit-
ed States sit down with all the
powers involved, including Chi-
na, and withdraw from South-
east Asia once a system of im-
plementing the agreements has
been reached. And it would
certainly cost the U.S. less to
share the expenses of a U.N.
corps in Southeast Asia than
for the 23,000 alleged military
advisors!
“Canada should object to the

NDP proposals

on Confederation crisis
still too vague

It is clear that the NDP’s
solution to the crisis of
Confederation is still am-
biguous and inadequate. While
the party recognizes the need
for “a Canadian document
adopted by Canadians,” with an
amending procedure fully Can-
adian, it does not call for anew
constitution but rather a re-
newed one, in other words, a
revision of the British North
America Act. There is quite a
difference. (To add to the cén-
fusion, the French version of
the NDP’s press release on the
conference speaks of a nouvelle
constitution! The NDP appar-
ently wants to please every-
body.)

However, the NDP rightly
disapproves of the Favreau-
Fulton amending formula and
will oppose it. A special, all-
party Parliamentary committee
must be convened, it says, to
study and recommend to Par-
liament specific proposals on
the matter.

“Tn the Confederate debates,”
explained Ontario leader Mac-
Donald at the press conference,
“nearly everybody participated
in the then Parliament to dis-
cuss various proposals, and the
same should be done today, In

Jouglas on crisis in Vietnam

presence of American troops in
Southeast Asia and have enough
courage to say SO, whether the
State Department likes it or not.
Canada’s role within the Super-
visory Commission on Indochina
has been only a nominal one. We
should demand that something
be done quickly or get out of
the Commission. The Interna-
tional Commission was a farce.”

Q.—What about Canada and
NATO? _

“We have to re-examine the
whole matter of Canada’s role
within NATO; what our position
now has to be. The presence of
Canadian troops in West Ger-
many, for instance, must be r
considered.” -

LUCIEN JACQUES, editor of the
French Canadian newspaper Com-
bat, reports and gives some views

on the recent press conference held
by T. C. Douglas in Ottawa.

this manner, we may come up
with a constitution that meets
our needs and not with some
sort of straight-jacket. The Fav-
reau-Fulton formula would not
be to the advantage even of
Quebec, whose special status
could be vetoed by the other
provinces.”

T. C. DOUGLAS

But, where the NDP fails to
a much greater extent is illus-
trated by these answers Mr.
Douglas gave to questions asked
by this correspondent:

Q.—Does the NDP now recog-
nize the binational character of
Canada?

Mr. Douglas: “V’e ,recognize
the right of Quebec to separate
if it so desires. I wish to point
to that part in our statement
which states: ‘It it possible that
Quebec. may elect to separate
from Canada, but it is doubtful

she will do so. Separation would.

benefit neither Quebec nor the
rest of Canada, and would place
both economies at a serious dis-

799

advantage’.

Q.—Mr. Douglas, I do not see
any reference to a French Can-
adian nation. May I rephrase
my question: Does the NDP
now recognize the French Can-
adians as a nation and their
right to self-determination?

Mr. Douglas: “Our program
acknowledges Quebec’s right to
self-determination. As to the

status of nation, only the par-

ty’s Council can‘ pronounce it-
self on the question. I can give
only my personal opinion.”

Here, this correspondent was
not sure whether Mr. Douglas
said “yes,” so mingled it was
with involved explanations. But
one of the other newspapermen
seems to have heard it accord-
ing to their reports of the con-
ference. ‘

Noticing that no reference
whatsoever had been made to
the working class at the press
conference, although it was be-
ing given by the leaders of a
socialist party, I asked Robert
Cliche:

Is any effort being made in
Quebec to get the full support
of the Quebec Federation of
Labor and Confederation of Na-
tional Trade Unions in the next
coming election?

Mr. Cliche: “I have met with
the two labor leaders, but they
are so busy with their own prob-
lems that I could not as yet get
their full cooperation. At first

' sight, this may not look too

good. But it may very well help

us. It was alleged in the past.

that the unions were control-
ling the NDP .. .:I believe that,
in Quebec, the population does
not want a class party.”

This answer made headlines,
at least in Quebec, where many
are asking whether a socialist
party should not show more
concern about greater support
from organized labor.

True, Mr. Cliche also said in
reply to other questions that the

-NDP in Quebec is this time

counting on a large vote from
the farmers. But would not a
stronger combination of farmer
and labor votes be at the same
time the foundation for a suc-
cesfull mass party and a class
party?
®

In my opinion, the NDP needs
another new statement, if not

a “renewed and revised” pro-

gram, which would reflect in a
more socialist way the interests

of the working class and would

not be vague about the bina-
tional character of Canada,
which can only be embodied
within a new Canadian consti-

tution.

March 5, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 5

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