issue of a bi-national state. By virtue’
ofthis, the NDP, and its predecessor,
the CCF, bear a major responsibility
for the crisis.
The present position of the NDP
ders the unfolding of an effective
Program by the trade union move-
ment which, by virtue of its positions
In English-speaking and French
Canada and its growing unity of ac-

tion, can and must play a decisive’

Tole in the solution of the crisis, of
onfederation.

Neither the use of force nor
Policies of bilingualism, cooperative
federalism, decentralization or spe-
Cial status will allay the crisis. On the

‘Contrary, the crisis will deepen as
long as the bi-national character of
the country with all of its conse-
quences are not faced up to. Unless
Ways are found to renegotiate con-
€deration on the basis of an equal,
Voluntary partnership of the two na-
tions, which the BNA Act does not
-Tecognize, the pressures for separa-
Hon will continue to mount.

A new Canadian constitution is an

essential ingredient of a deniocratic

solution to the crisis of confedera-:

tion. To achieve such a constitution a
constituent-assembly of representa-
tives of English-speaking and French
Canada must Bbé‘held with equal vot-
ing powers for the representatives of
the two nations, ,and with all the
fundamental matters decided upon
by unanimous decision — that is,
without the right of veto given to the
English Canadian majority.
The Trudeau government hopes
that by appealing for Canadian unity
it can defuse the crisis and, above all,
be re-elected when an election take
place. It should be borne in mind

- however that the Bourassa govern-.

ment thought it could be re-elected
by appeals for unity against separa-
tion. That worked twice but failed
the third time. This will likely happen
also with phoney appeals to, Cana-

dian unity no matter who advances .

them. There is no sound basis for

Canadian unity in the present nation-.-

al, economic and social policies of
the government. These policies are
based on the perpetuation of the
status quo. But the status quo will not
defeat separation. Only a com-
prehensive all-sided program, a new

economic and social policy geared to
full employment and to constitu-
tional reform, based on a democratic
restructuring.of the constitution, can
create conditions for real Canadian
unity and thereby cope with the
crisis.

The firm foundation for a united
Canada lies through recognition of
the French Canadian nation and its

‘right to national self-determination

up to and including the right to seces-

sion. It lies in establishing a bi-

national state based on an equal, vol-
untary partnership of the two nations
— English and French Canadian —
and the. adoption of a made-in-
Canada constitution with guarantees
of the language and culture of the two
peoples.

A firm foundation for a united
Canada likewise lies in the adoption
of policies which overcome regional
inequality, achieves full employ-
ment, stable prices and rising stan-
dards and an end to the wage re-
straint program. It lies in policies
leading to a redistribution of the na-

tional income in favor of the working
people, in public ownership of
natural resources and energy, in a
redistribution of responsibilities be-
tween federal, provincial and munic-
ipal governments, in the guarantee of
democratic rights based on the right
to a job, to health, education and
housing, the democratic rights of
labor, of immigrants .and ethnic
communities, the defense of the na-
tional identity of the Native Peoples.
It lies today in the struggle for a
democratic alternative to the crisis
policies of monopoly.

- Thisisa sound program for achiev-
ing real Canadian unity encompass-
ing the national, democratic,
economic and social aspirations of
the great majority of Canadians. This
is the kind of Canada to fight for.
Such a solution will strengten the un-
ity of the working class of Canada
and the unity of the two nations .
against U.S. imperialist domination.
A united Canada is a necessary pre-
condition for a truly independent
Canada. A Canada divided and sepa-
rated opens the door to absorption by
the USA.

The French Canadian struggle for
self-determination and for demo-
cratic reconstitution of the Canadian
state is at bottom a social question.
The anti-monopoly, anti-imperialist
struggle of the Canadian people and
their demands for democratic
policies, for peace and independence
and social progress merge with the
struggle of the French Canadian
people for the right to national self-
determination. Together they chal-
lenge the power of monopoly and the
multinational corporations. This is
why all Canadian patriots must unite
around the demand for a democratic
solution to the crisis of confedera-
tion, based on recognizing the na-
tional rights of the French Canadian
people, and support all measures
which lead to overcoming national,
social and economic inequality. The
fight for a democratic solution to the
crisis is in reality a fight against
monopoly control.

WORKING CLASS
ROLE DECISIVE

The present critical situation in the
country calls for clear sighted and
effective leadership. The Communist
Party of Canada is opposed to
policies which either maintain the
status quo or lead to separation, as a
solution to the crisis of confedera-
tion. Neither answers the basic needs
of Canada and her people. The
Communist Party -stands firmly in
support of the national rights of the
French Canadian people and the
elimination of all measures of in-
equality affecting them. It stands no
less firmly in defense of a united
Canada. These do- not contradict
each other. On the contrary, they re-
enforce each other, and their
achievement will enable the Cana-
dian people to stand up to and over-
come U.S. domination and mono-
poly control of the Canadian
economy. °

The Communist Party of Canada
opposes separation or the ‘‘indepen-
dence’ advocated by the Parti
Quebecois which is another name for
separation, because it will neither
advance the real interests of Quebec,
of the working French Canadian
people, nor the unity of the working
class in both English-speaking and

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FEBRUARY 25, 1977—Page 7