Communist Party

y

urges

Senate should be abolished,
Quebec’s rights must be granted

The following letter, sent to the Special Joint
Committee of the Senate and of the House of Com-
mons on Senate Reform sets out the position of the
Communist Party of Canada on the basic issues in-
volved. It was sent by the Central Executive Commit-
tee, CPC, on June 23, 1983, signed by its general
secretary, William Kashtan:

* * *

Dear Sirs:

We note the terms of reference of your Special Joint
Committee on Senate Reform, ‘‘the consideration of
ways by which the Senate of Canada could be re-
formed in order to strengthen its role in representing
people from all regions of Canada and to enhance the
authority of Parliament to speak and act on behalf of
Canadians in all parts of the country”’.

May we at the outset say that the Communist Party
of Canada has for many years advocated the abolition
of the Senate. It is a non-elective body with powers to
veto legislation adopted_by Parliament. It is an ano-
maly in a democratic society.

Democratic public opinion has time and again de-
manded the abolition of the Senate. Its continued
existence has supported those corporate interests
who saw in it a means of hindering democratic pro-
gress. One has only to recall the Senate’s resistance to

social reforms to realize how true this is.
Current System Helps Monopolies

Now it is proposed to reform the Senate. The press-
ing need for reform arises out of the persisting crisis of
Confederation, and the impossibility of resolving its
contradictions on the present basis.

These contradictions find expression in deep-
seated dissatisfaction in Quebec, a dissatisfaction
arising from national and economic inequality, which
in turn has given rise to separatist tendencies. As well
there is a long-standing discontent with a federal sys-
tem which made Western Canada and the Maritimes
colonial hinterlands of Central Canada, sources of
cheap raw materials and resources while paying a
heavy price for manufactured goods. This has given
rise to ‘‘alienation’’ and to separatist tendencies in
Western Canada also.

It is now proposed to reform the Senate with the
objective of overcoming or mitigating these
contradictions.

In our view however, these contradictions cannot
be mitigated by the Senate reform now being
considered.

Various approaches have been undertaken to deal
with Senate Reform. These range from the Govern-
ment’s proposals that it appoint 50% of the Senate and
50% be appointed by the provincial governments, and
its latest proposal that provincial representatives be
elected. These proposals and those made by pro-
vincial governments ignore the Constitution’s con-
tradictions that have done serious damage to Cana-
dian unity.

Recognize Self-determination of Quebec

The failure to recognize the right to self-determina-
tion and equality for Quebec and the limitation of its
acquired rights have caused Quebec to reject the Con-

stitution. The Native peoples, too, have not got satis-
faction of their demands to be recognized as distinct

WILLIAM KASHTAN

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JULY 8, 1983—Page 6

peoples, with the right to self-government on the terri-
tories that are rightfully theirs.

Any consideration of what to do with the Senate
must take into account the basic issues that are
involved.

The Communist Party of Canada again wishes to
bring forward its proposal, a proposal first presented
to the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Bicul-
turalism in June 1964. This was further developed in
its Brief to the Special Mixed Committee of the Senate
and the House of Commons on the Constitution of
Canada in May 1971, and most recently in documents

_ adopted by the 25th Convention of our Party in Feb-

ruary 1982. ;

Basically what our Party proposed and continues to
propose is the acceptance of the voluntary union of
equal nations — English speaking Canada and
Quebec — within an independent, sovereign bi-
national state.

Two Houses Needed

In line with this we propose a parliament that would
consist of two Houses: one, like the House of Com-
mons today based on representation by population
but elected by a system of proportional representa-
tion. The second House, which would replace the
Senate, would be composed of an equal number of
elected representatives from Quebec and from En-
glish speaking Canada, the latter representatives
being in equal number from each of the nine English
speaking provinces, plus guaranteed representation
from-the Native peoples. Each House would have
equal rights to legislate, but both Houses must adopt
legislation before it becomes law. The structure
would protect three democratic principles — equality
of rights of nations regardless of their numerical size,
guaranteed rights of distinct peoples to representation
in parliament, and majority rule.

Such a solution to the anomoly of the present Se-
nate could re-establish sufficiént confidence among
our peoples to make possible the more fundamental
constitutional changes we propose.

Such measures in our view must go together with
economic and social reforms such as the right to ajob,
to collective bargaining, to strike, to medical care, to
education and housing, the elimination of all mani-
festations of racism and discrimination. This would
give an economic foundation to the democratic con-
stitutional changes called for.

The point of departure of such constitutional

‘changes would, therefore, be the explicit recognition

of the basically two-nation character of Canada, each
nation having the right to self-determination up to and
including the right to secession, and to economic,
cultural and linguistic equality, as well as the right of
the Native peoples to self-government on the terri-
tories that are rightfully theirs.

While upholding the equality of both nations, the
right to self-determination of both nations, the Com-
munist Party of Canada at the same time opposes the
secession of Quebec, a demand advocated by the
separatists.

No Contradiction

There is no contradiction here. There must be no
confusion about the right to secession on one hand
and its expediency on the other. We take our stand on
the basis of what is in the overall interests of the
working class of both nations and of the people as a
whole. A big and strong state formed on a voluntary,
truly democratic basis is the best assurance of defeat-
ing those interests who want a weak Canada so as to
sap its industrial development and its ability to play an
effective role in world affairs. It is no secret to anyone
that U.S. imperialism is out to use separatism in
Quebec and alienation in Western Canada to advance
its own interests and undermine Canada’s inde-
pendence. Its interests lies in a Canada subordinate to
its aims, not a strong, independent Canada.

Recent events emphasize the validity of this
concern.

The Communist Party of Canada does not believe
that the contradictions besetting Canada can be re-
solved through Senate reform. The solution to the
crisis of confederation and its contradictions lies in a
basic restructuring of the economy and its reflection
in those basic constitutional changes which could
truly unite the country. We believe our proposals
made a significant contribution to the attainment of
these objectives.

_ try and mining machinery without complete recapitali

Labor urges municipal
economic intervention

By MIKE PHILLIPS

TORONTO — Not only should municipal government pla)
a direct role in building up Metro Toronto’s economic healt

' but it should also be a strong advocate at senior governmel!
levels for progressive economic policies to help lead this cout
try out of the current depression. :

These were the dual messages of a comprehensi\
economic report released June 27 by the Labor Council 0
Metro Toronto

The report, an economic alternative program as well as#
critique of a similar report commissioned by the Metro To
ronto Council on industrial development, identifies t
areas for industrial development, and challenges the myth #
the private sector as the so-called ‘‘engine’’ of the elusivé
economic recovery.

“The real problems with Canada’s manufacturing secto!
have to do with poor management and the lack of critical new
investment in addition to (corporate) global restructuring '
the report declared.

“Thus an economic strategy that attempts to rely excl:
sively on the private sector as the engine of growth is doom
to failure ... We have reached a critical new phase where
more active public sector is required to assure the full costs®
corporate decision making are accounted for in thes?

decisions.

_ a

TRIBUNE PHOTO — MIKE PHILLIPS

WALLY MAJESKY
Included among the report’s recommendations are: pal
e that Metro build 150,000 low-cost housing units
would also stimulate spin-off jobs in industries allie
construction such as furniture and appliances; ‘0
e that Metro create municipally-controlled land banks if
buy and renovate industrial buildings which could be used
public-controlled industries suchas waste recycling, and ot
expanded public services, or leased to private industries
keep jobs in the community; bo!
In targetting on industrial development for Metro, the ee i
council focussed on several categories. Input industries f
housing, transportation, road and service systems sho’ (0
expanded to create jobs, while new initiatives are take? "
create new industries based on existing municipal servic
such as garbage collection. {5
Basic industries, such as machinery, electrical produ
auto, clothing and textile, food processing and printing ame
others are also targeted for government interver gh
a

Massey-Ferguson as an example the report argues, cou
converted to the product of construction equipment, OF 0) oft
instead of shutting down in two years as M-F big shots ba
promised, sending Massey workers to line up with the res”
Metro’s 252,000 unemployed. |
Recognizing that Metro or any municipal government ¢ a
singlehandedly create desirable economic conditions for
covery the report emphasizes that lobbying senior gov" Ajo!
ments for progressive changes in policy have to be ‘"@ m
component of any municipal economic strategy. - sb
‘Local governments should join labor and other grove i
calling on federal and provincial governments to direct md
industrial development policies towards the assumpur di
greater public responsibility in important investment ©
sions. oft
‘This would require the greater use of crown corporal,
joint public-private ventures, and direct subsidies with $
employment level conditions attached to the subsidy me.
than generalized tax concessions,”’ the labor council T&F
said. 5