Unions urge action to save scheme PLOT TO SCUTTLE PENSION PLAN HIT Vancouver labor warned Tuesday night that a powerful lobby, organized and financed by the insurance companies and big business, is out to scuttle Canada’s national pension plan. Representing about 60,000 organized workers, the Vancouver and District Labor Council blasted recent changes in the proposed plan and went on record con- demning Ontario Premier Robarts and Quebec Premier Lesage ‘‘for a i) mh yt Ry ail FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1964 VOL. 25, NO. 8 THIS WEEK VIETNAM a report in DEPTH ; The biggest war going on in the world today is being ©ught in South Vietnam. On the one side, the United States and its puppet feoment in Saigon, fighting desperately to hold on to Jor cities and towns. On the other, the South Vietnam eo rallied under the banner of their National Libera- ront, controlling 75 percent of the countryside. Pages 5-6-7 * B.C. IRON ORE For export = or steel industry? See page 3 their sabotage”’ of the plan. The action of the Labor Coun- cil came on an executive recom- mendation following reading of a letter from Local 244 of the Building Service Employees which stated that portable pen- sions is one of the most badly needed pieces of legislation in Canada, In speaking on the subject, Lo- cal 244 Business Agent Ben Mor- ley asked the VLC and Canadian Labor Congress to ‘‘use every means?’ in applying pressure on the Liberal government to in- stitute its original plan, in ac- cordance with election promises. Council Secretary Paddy Neale told delegates that post cards to MPs (see page 2 for card and background article) were av- ailable along with petitions for unions and the public generally. Many thousands have already gone into circulation. The Throne Speech, which op- , ened the second session of Can- ada’s 26th Parliament, indicated the government intends to pre- sent the revised pension scheme to the House. Indications are that a sharp fight will ensue with mounting pressure from big bus- iness to stall or scuttle the plan, and rising public demands that the original benefits be restored and the plan be adopted at this ses- sion. This weekthe Ontario Commit- tee of the Communist Party is- sued a statement in which it charged that ‘it has become painfully evident that Premier John Robarts’ Ontario adminis- tration is out to sabotage and prevent the adoption of any kind of Canada-wide pension plan.’’ The statement said, ‘‘the at- tempt by Ottawa to appease the private insurance lobby by water- ing down the plan. . . has only weakened Ottawa’s position, while, at the same time, mak- ing opposition spokesmen for the insurance lobby, like Prem- ier Robarts, that much bolder.’’ Pointing out that the need for the pension scheme ‘‘inadequate as it may be, is beyond dispute,”’ the statement says that ‘‘the Ottawa government should re- store the level of benefits under the Canada Pension Plan to the original $175 per month and make it payable as soon as the plan becomes law, thus eliminating any maturity or waiting period.”’ Speaking on TV Tuesday night NDP leader T. C. Douglas said the pension plan has been pared down by the Liberals and that the intention of the NDP was to fight for the adoption of the plan in its original form. Socreds crack down on welfare critics The Socred government this week again attempted to stifle criticism of its neglect of wel- fare problems by suspending MRS. BRIDGET MORAN ... suspended by Socred gov’t for her criticism Mrs. Bridget Moran and four fellow Prince George social workers who were critical of the government’s lack of action. Last week the five threatened to lead a march on Victoria to draw attention to the critical welfare situation in B.C. Tuesday the Socred majority in the Legislature beat down an opposition attempt to hold an emergency. debate on welfare problems. NDP MLA Gordon Dowding urged an emergency de- bate because of the breakdown of welfare services, leaving thousands of people in northern B.C. unattended. Meanwhile, this week the B.C. Association of Social Workers, told the government it must hire more than 100 social workers to meet a critical staff shortage. ‘Keep B.C. nuclear free’ demanded by peace lobby Almost 100 delegates from Low- er Mainland and Vancouver Isl- and centres converged on Vic- toria Wednesday to interview MLAs and to demand that the House act to ‘‘Keep B.C. Nu-- clear Free.’’ Marching through downtown Victoria streets with banners against nuclear arms at Comox, and for Canada to be made a nu- clear-free zone, the peace lobby, organized by the B.C. Peace Council, was warmly received by citizens lining the street. The job of lobbying MLAs was started early on Wednesday when groups of peace workers sought out Social Credit MLAs to urge support for the motion of NDP MLA Dave Barrett, now before the House, which asks that ‘‘the Federal government remove nuc- lear arms from Canadian soil.’’ A delegation met with Liberal Leader Ray Perrault and MLA Pat McGeer urging support for the Barrett motion, The Liberal leader claimed he hadn’t seen the motion, but when it was read out, said he would consider whe- ther to vote for it, but would probably bring in an amendment. Wednesday afternoon the lobby was scheduled to meet with the NDP lobby. PRES. MAKARIOS, of Cyprus, stood firm this week against a NATO force for the troubled island. The issue Is now before the UN Secur-' ity Council. A brief from the B.C. Peace Council was distributed to all MLAs recalling the stand taken by the Legislature in March, 1961 opposing nuclear arms being introduced to any country, ‘‘in- cluding Canada,”’ The brief urged the B.C. MLAs to take up the *‘fight against the drift into nuclear war, and touse all meaps to make Canada once again a nuclear-free nation.’ Last Saturday downtown Van- couver and suburban.4shoppers were asked to sign postcards ad- dressed to the Prime Minister requesting that he reverse his policy and rid Canada of nu- clear arms. The B.C. Peace Council plans further street canvasses and is calling on all its supporters to try to organize house to house canvases with the postcards. Organizations and individuals who can assist in this cam- paign are asked to contact the B.C. Peace Council at its of- fice at 339 W. Pender, or phone MU 5-9958.