Put gag on ‘Blimps’

he public indignaticn now sweeping Canada at the
shameful manner in which parliament engages in the
leng drawn out flag “debate” is well founded.

Seldom if ever has the dignity of Parliament been re-
duced to such an irresponsible and low level, as now.

Both Liberal and Tory partisans in the “debate” are
to blame; the former for its shcddy compremising at-
tempts to play all sides -in favor of the middle, i.e. the
Pearson minority government. The latter, with Tory
leader John Diefenbaker well out in front with its cheap
Tory jingoism, pandering to the mest backward and reac-
tionary elements in English-speaking Canada, hanging on
to its hoary concept of the “British tradition’, hell-bent to
block the concept of a distinctive Canadian flag. A Tory
“Colcnel Blimp” with all the characteristics of that obnox- .
ious character.

That the Pearson government precipitated this par-
liamentary fiasco, there is already ample proof. Its intro-
duction of a distinctive Canadian flag, accompanied by its
“twe flag” proposals, plus its on-again-off-again stratagems
to confuse the issue, provided the demagogue Diefenbaker
and his followers with a made-to-measure opportunity—not
only to block the decisive function of Parliament to choose
a flag in keeping with the majority will cf the Canadian
people, but to utilize the issue as a rallying point for the
most backward and reactionary elements in the country.

Similarly on the “repatriation” of Canada’s “made-in-
England” British North America Act (BNA); the sover-
elgn right of Canada, through Parliament, tc change,
amend or scrap the BNA and write its own constitution,
in keeping with the needs and aspirations of its two-nation

peoples. “Repatriation” and reconstruction of a Canadian
constitution which will place the unity and independence—

and equality of French and English Canada above that of
the BNA foreign imposed divisive “provincial rights.”

The flag “debate” shambles in Parliament and the
“repatriation” conference in Charlottetown by the new
“Fathers of Confederation’, each with their own specific
partisan axe to grind, are a direct by-product of Liberal
and Tory policies; a situation in which Canada’s indepen-
dence and the future of Confederation are “debated” with-
in the narrow confines of Liberal versus Tory partisan
gain. For them the “party fortunes” first, then Canada!

Time is running out for Canadians to “turn on the
heat” for the adoption of a Canadian flag; to end the flag
fiasco in Parliament, to demand a decision NOW: -

The principle of “medicare”
‘is well spelled out by a quotation
from the Constitution of the World
Health Organization which Says:

e have just completed a some-

W ona laborious job, that of
plowing through the 914 pages of
the Hall Royal Commission on

oreteeleteletetete! OM ID

“I’m afraid there’s no reprieve!”

A good example

Test week cne of the largest single trade deals was sign-
_med between Soviet and British industrial representa-
tives, involving the purchase of a complete polyester fibre
plant by the Soviet Union for $84 million.

The British firm which will deliver the plant are Poly-
spinners Ltd. of Britain, producers of pclyester fibre, a new
process cf fibre textile production.

This gigantic single trade deal should serve as a spur
to Canadian business and industry tc get in on the ground
floor of the rapidly expanding markets in the Soviet Union
and other socialist countries. To realize that extended
trade with the Soviet Union, other than “wheat” is read-

ily available, prcviding such trade is based upon a recipro- ""

cal and mutually advantageous basis.

In this British firms are pointing the way — a good
way for Canadian trade and industry to follow.

indicative of the Commission’s
“thinking” on this knotty prob-.
lem, “A nation that in 1962 spent
$756 million on cigarettes and
tobacco, and $973 million on alco-
holic beverages can afford the
program we recommend which
would involve an additional $466
million in 1971,”

more popularly known as “medi-
care,”

Just recently we had occasion,
even as a foreigner, to sample
what to us was real “medicare”
in the Soviet Union,

Three weeks in a Soviet hos-
pital, No cross-examination upon
entry about our financial status
(which is generally pretty low),
about whether we were “covered”
by MSA or what have ‘you, or how
we were going to “pay the bill.”

It may have been an oversight
on the part of the commission in
its tablulation of these foolish
expenditures on smoking and
drinking. not to have mentioned

“Health Services,” Volume No, 1,

This weighty tome contains a
wealth of data pertaining to health
services in Canada, garnered
from some 16 hearings in all
Canadian key centers and from
approximately 400 briefs and
submissions presented to the Hall
Commission by multiple organiz-
ations and individuals,

Throughout this voluminous
work two prime questions crop to
the fore; first, the almost univer-
sal support of the need of acom-
prehensive nation-wide medicare
plan, and second: “Who's going
to pay?”

Regarding the first it may be
said that there is general agree-
ment on the need of “medicare,”
bu: just what sort of “medicare”
is still far from being clear in
the Hall report,

“The enjoyment of the highest
attainable standard of health is
one of the fundamental rights of
every human being without dis-
tinction of race, religion. politi-
cal belief, economic or social
condition, The health of all
peoples is fundamental to the at-
tainment of peace and security,
and is dependent upon the fullest
co-operation of individuals and
states,”

No one will quarrel with that,
but the gap between the “prin-
ciple” of medicare and its prac-
tical appliaction under our “free
enterprise” way-of-life is wide
and varied, as can be readily
seen in the commission report,

The question of who's going to
pay is also not tooclearly spelled
out, but a revealing sentence is

our annual squandering of some
$1, billioa down the arms drain,
an. amount which would finance
all the “medicare” health sery-
ices Canadians need right now,
and still leave a few million for
other worthy community pur-
poses!

Of course royal commissions
never do their “thinking” in that
groove, and especially where
financial expenditure is involved,
Thus it becomes evident from the
pages of the Hall Commission re-
port that our heavy smoking,
drinking and “defense” taxes John
Doe is also going to be the highest
contributor to “medicare,” if as
and when that badly-needed health
service becomes a reality for all
Canadians,

At a later date we'll have more

‘to say on this specific report on
“health services” in Canada,

The only concern shown was
about the state of our health and
the best way to improve it, with
every facility of medical science
and medical specialists assigned
for that specific purpose, The
only difficulty we experienced in
the Soviet hospital was that of
getting out, There the medical

P =

i e
EIR A
307

Worth :
Quoting

*

Those of us who believe,
that the election of Barry 9°
and William Miller would mea?
ed disaster, have our work ll ou
us. Despitee the polls, showing
water far behind behind in poP¥

as | do,
Idwater
unmix-

 ald-
o

lar OP”

On ee
peal, we dare not assume Ly" d

Johnson is a shoo-in. . -

We can’t assume it, and We an
not. The historic shift in the orientale”
of the Republican Party mea
nation does indeed stand at the :
roads, faced with a choice betwee’ b
path of common sense represen
Johnson and the Democrats, oa
path of radical reaction represe”
Goldwater and his goals . -

cross

at ol

| am instructing our peop main
levels, to make voting in 1964 tem
focus of our energies and our @

ig nati
We must carry our end of this n@

task if we would prevent disaster Aaa

tent
—ED C. MILLER, General Preside

of the Hotel and Restavram™ ~~ j

ployees Union.

*

The emotions of a hungry: ii
people exploded in the Negro ee
munity of North Philadelphia (re 5
ly). Young and old were out bi sea
those who have abused, robbee ”

t for —

ns that this

edb

tention —

angry

a

Se

ny for
graded and abased the communil¥

years.

“Our hunger is so big; out '
so big,’’ one Negro woman sa!

anger i822
d sadly: Mab 3

a “7 in =
People took things that fulfilled $! i

ple needs. One little boy, bene
young girl, was dragging a table

“I’m bringing my mama @
said. ‘‘My mama never ha

da table

—FRANCES GABON, writing in
the U.S. Worker.

“profession seem determined ua
hang onto a patient until they
quite sure he or she is fu rhe
stored to normal health. ie
worry about mounting hospit
ation costs is non-existant.
There at least we found nat

table,” hei,

Hy Fee

ard
“the highest attainable stamey
of health is one of the funda”

tal rights of every humat the
. ..” is fully operative for ie
Soviet citizen and for “the stray
er within their gates,”

As the Soviet doctors bade “6
a warm goodbye and“ bon voy
they also reminded us that ;
cal aid is free under socialis™
But we didn’t have to be
minded since there was no hos
tal bill to worry about, then, OF
the future, That ’s what we
call genuine “medicare.

Associate Editor

Vancouver 4, B.C.

of postage in cash.

Editor — TOM McEWEN

— MAURICE RUSH
Circulation Manager — JERRY SHACK

Published weekly at Room 6 — 426 Main Street

Subscription Rates: ey
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Phone MUtual 5-5288

di- <3
me i

ould

pie

_———

A
September 11, 1964—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—P99®