COMMUNIST PARTY EX TRAORDINARY MEETING

‘Fight economic crisis,
threat of nuclear war’

TORONTO — Two major areas of
work, and of deepening concern, oc-
cupied the participants in an enlarged
meeting of the Communist Party of

Canada’s central executive committee

on the weekend of June 26-27.

The key resolution around which dis-
cussion centred, carried the descriptive
title: On the fightback against the eco-
nomic crisis and the threat of world nu-
clear war. It was read by party leader
William Kashtan on the Saturday morn-
ing, with the remainder of that day de-
voted to spirited reports and discussion
on the first part — the economic crisis.

Sunday was spent in equally animated
discussion of the threat of world nuclear
war.

In addition the meeting endorsed
unanimously a sharply-worded demand
for the unconditional withdrawal of Is-
raeli forces from Lebanon.

One evening was dedicated to
commemoration of the 100th anniver-
sary of the great Bulgarian communist
and leading internationalist, Georgi Di-
mitrov. Welcoming guests from the Bul-
garian Consulate, Communist Party
leader Kashtan, spoke of the valued
contribution of Dimitrov to the world
communist and working-class move-
ment. A photo exhibition led viewers
graphically through Dimitrov’s political
career.

The meeting of the Communist Party’s
central executive of fewer than 20 was
swelled to 100 by the presence of provin-
cial leaders, central committee members
from the nearby area, Ontario provincial
committee and Metro Toronto com-

party’s 25th Convention in February of
this year, which forecast the worsening

_ crisis of capitalism.

While the federal budget’s wage con-
trols were announced more than 24 hours
after the communist leadership wound
up its discussion, the meeting warned of
“the concerted and systematic attack on
wages and living standards ... efforts to
impose wage controls first of all on public
service workers,’’ stating that
“concessions and wage cuts in the dirty
thirties did not save jobs, homes or
farms’’.

Challenge Crisis Policies

Noting some limitations in the Cana-
dian Labor Congress’ 10-point economic
program of job creation, the Communist
Party at the same time saw it as a possible
“rallying point for the formation of a
people’s coalition, led by labor, to chal-
lenge the crisis policies of monopoly and
government and thus to open the door to
widespread political action.”’

Speakers from province after province ,

confirmed both the depression-like
plunge of the economy and living stan-
dards, and the mass layoffs and the irate
fightback, growing with every passing
week. The meeting declared that ‘‘the
way to fight for jobs is not by wage cut-
ting and contract concessions but
through government measures to expand
the economy..”’

The collapse of the mega projects and
the energy investment boom cries out for
a policy of manufacturing accompanied
by a country-wide job-creating program

The document noted that “confidence in the system is
giving way to questioning that system,” but it warned that
the widening opposition to government economic policy
needed a correct policy of alliances “pursued by the
working class and our party,” to ensure that it is not turned

rightward. |

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mittee members, plus about 20 each of
peace and trade union activists.

The executive's discussion document,
adopted unanimously the second day,
noted the upsurge in Canada against both
the economic crisis and the nuclear war
threat, but said the situation demands a
higher level of response:

Capitalism Incapable

“Capitalism has entered a long period

of deepening general crisis. The
- economic miracle is over. A crisis-free
development of capitalism, capable of
providing full employment is over.
Unemployment has become as serious as
it was in the 30s. Liberalization of trade is
giving way to trade and currency wars.
Devaluation of the Canadian dollar is
part of such wars. Events show that
capitalism is incapable of placing the
achievements of modern technology at
the service of the people. The summit
meeting of the seven advanced capitalist
countries did nothing to overcome the
crisis.”
The document noted that ‘‘confidence
in the system is giving way to a question-
ing of that system,” but it warned that
the widening opposition to government
economic policy needed a correct policy
of alliances “‘pursued by the working
class and our party,”’ to ensure that it is
not turned rightward.

The meeting and the document based
themselves firmly on the decisions of the
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JULY 9, 1982—Page 4

through massive investments in housing,
forestry, education, public health, and
local transportation.”’
~ In view of the micro-chip revolution
which the system uses against workers,
the demand should be for a 32-hour week
with no pay reductions, the gathering
stated. os
Disdaining to pull any punches in the
class battle now ensuing, in which the
ruling class attempts to save its system,
its profits, and its privileged life, the
Communist central executive agreed to
renew the slogan which was a powerful
stimulus among the unemployed of the
30s — Work or Wages!

It also went on record for unemploy-
ment insurance at 90% of earnings for the
whole period of unemployment;
unemployment for first-time job seekers;
no evictions, repossessions or utility
shutoffs; a moratorium on all home and
farm mortgages; an increase in pensions,
family allowances, and welfare; a crash
public works program to create jobs at
trade union rates; and a civilian training
program linked to jobs for young people.

“This crisis has placed before us the
necessity of combining the fight for every
reform possible to protect the working
people from the evil effects of the crisis
with an indictment of capitalism and the
advance of our democratic alternative as
the pathway to socialism in Canada,”’
declared the document acclaimed by the
meeting.

HOTO — MIKE PHILLIPS

the CEC, June 26-27.

Source of War Danger

Turning to the crucial question of
prevention of a world nuclear holocaust,
as the meeting did for its entire second
day, the Communist Party accepted ‘‘a
special responsibility’ on the part of its
members for developing the peace
movement, and at the same time showing
that “the source of international ten-
sions, the arms race and the threat of
nuclear catastrophe lies in the aggressive
policy of imperialism, and more parti-
cularly, the reactionary forces of U.S.
imperialism.”’ ,

The line of ‘‘equal responsibility’,
blaming both the USA and the USSR, is
aimed at splitting ‘the peace movement,
the party document accused. The same
splitting was seen in the Reagan USA’s
attempts to defame the World Peace
Council and in efforts to do the same to
the Canadian Peace Congress.

“The publication of the Pentagon’s
new military strategy which the New
York Times drew to light, a strategy for a
protracted nuclear war with the Soviet
Union and which includes a trade and
credit blockade against the Soviet Union
and its allies, illustrates the dangerously
adventurist policies of the Reagan admin-
istration and its direct responsibility for
maintaining international tensions as
part of its drive for military superiority
and for war,”’ the document said.

Refuse the Cruise

Contrasting with Washington’s nuc- .

lear threats are Soviet proposals for
specific moves on nuclear and any other
kind of disarmament. ‘‘Military parity,”
the meeting agreed, ‘‘helps to prevent

war ... For the socialist countries, for

communists everywhere, for the Com-
munist Party of Canada, the historic task
today is not to allow imperialism to upset
that parity.”

Speakers had praise for the minority
report of the House of Commons Stand-
ing Committee.on External Affairs and
National Defence, cited in the discussion
document. Six members of parliament,

' two Conservatives, two Liberals and

Boldness of action to fight the crisis policies of monopoly and strengthen the peace figh
are what is needed by communists today, William Kashtan told the expanded meeting 0

- phasized, is the Soviet pledge on the oné

+

two New Democrats, call in the report
for a nuclear freeze; annulment of the |
agreement to test the Cruise missile 11
Canada; and the declaring of Canada 4
nuclear weapons-free zone. There waS _
also support for the demands on the fed-.
eral government made in the petition —
Peace Is Everybody’s Business — circu-
lated by the Canadian Peace Congress,
and so far signed by some 100,000
Canadians.

William Tuomi, provincial leader of
the Communist Party in Alberta, aroused
an already live meeting when he reported
the slogan — Refuse the Cruise! — direct
from the Cold Lake protests, the site
of proposed testing.

Municipal elections, this year with
accompanying referenda in munici-
palities on nuclear disarmament, were —
seen to call for, not only active ‘‘vote
yes’’ committees, but for more and more —
explaining of the realities of the nuclear
threat.

Among these realities, it was em-

hand not to be first to use nuclear weap’
ons, and the U.S. aggravation of world
tension with its unrelenting first strike
strategy.

nl

Quit NATO ,

That U.S. policy, to which Canada is
bound by its membership in NATO and
in the North American Aerospace De-
fence agreement, as well as the Defencé
Production Sharing Agreement, restrict
Canadian independent policy. This coun-
try should withdraw from all of these, the
meeting agreed. Further, it demanded
that Ottawa press the USA to match the
Soviet pledge not to be first to use nu-
clear weapons.

Finally, on a self-critical note, the
Communist Party pointed to the need for
its quicker response to conditions, for
ridding itself of routinism, and for greatet
initiative and concreteness in its work. In
every respect the enlarged meeting of the
central executive committee became 4
starting point for that further sharpening
of political work called for by the times 10
which we live.