PT ANALYSIS FEATURES CLC moves forward —but not quickly_ By WILLIAM KASHTAN How should one assess the 5th Constitutional Convention of the CLC? If one looks at the resolutions sent in by union locals, various. labor councils, provincial feder- ations and na- tional union bodies, the general desire was for a re- direction of policy. Unfor- tunately, this only found par- tial expression at this conven- tion, partly due to preoccupa- tion with internal trade union matters, and in large measure due to the way the administra- tion ran the convention. The result? On Friday, the last day of the convention, de- legates were faced with the fact that they had only completed discussion on three reports — proposed. amendments to the Constitution, the Officers Re- port and the report of the Com- mittee on Education. Other re- solutions were referred to the incoming executive for consi- deration. The responsibility for this unsatisfactory state of affairs rests directly on the adminis- tration. They decided © what would come up and when, anc what would not come up at all. Looking at the convention as a whole one gets the impression that the most important things they were concerned with was to such through the amendments to the Constitution, including the - increases in salaries and per capita payments, and endorsation of the Officers Report. A second impression one gets is that the administration seem-. ed to be walking on eggs most of the time, fearful that some might break and splatter their collective faces. The convention, despite press reports to the contrary, moved forward with respect to the au- tonomy and sovereignty of the Canadian Labor Congress, by adopting constitutional provi- sions for settling jurisdictional disputes in Canada, rather than having them ‘‘settled’’ in the USA as has been the case. Where the convention fell short was in advancing a ‘‘code of ethics’? for all international ‘unions in Canada which would make it mandatory on them to: establish democratic forms in Canada so that they could function as fully autonomous bodies. The large numbers of resolutions on this matter, com- ing in the main from union locals in international unions, indicates that this side of the fight for autonomy is likely to gather steam in the period ahead, In adopting these procedures on jurisdictional matters, the CLC in effect declared that it would be master in its own house and that the policy of ex- pulsion of unions because of raiding should be stopped, In taking this action, the con- gress opened the door to bring- ~ ing back unions that had been expelled from the CLC over the past number of years. The convention likewise moved forward with respect to the unity of the trade union movement by adopting a resolu- tion, one of many, which callec upon the Executive Council to take action to bring all legiti- mate unions into the CLC. To- gether with this, it amended the Constitution to exclude. the veto power of unions in deter- mining whether a union could affiliate to the CLC. Now a two- thirds majorjty will decide the matter. — This, of course, does _ not mean there will be a _ united trade union movement tomor- row. There are still many ob- stacles to overcome. But in taking the position it did, the convention opend the door slightly in that direction. The convention expressed its criticism and dissatisfaction with the administration and with machine politics by defeat- ing a proposal to increase the number of General Vice Presi- dents from four to five so as to give a place on that body to a representative of one of the na- tional unions. This proposal in itself was not a bad one but it was overwhelmingly defeated by the delegates, despite the interventibn of the platform, because the French Canadian delegates wanted the represen- tative from Quebec, presently Frank Hall to be replaced by a French Canadian. The critical and militant note underlying the debate on many issues found its expression in the vote for four General Vice. Presidents, giving J. K. Bell, Secretary Treasurer of the Marine Workers Federation of Nova Scotia close to 50 percent of the total vote cast. In actual fact he received over 50 percent of the vote given to Frank Hall — 521 as against 977. This vote for Bell, a well- known progressive, and the tone of the debate at the convention, . shows that some new winds are beginning to be registered in the trade union movement. in In this sense this conventio was different from others, 1? * cating that the great chane taking place internationally in our own country, the i: problems and challenges ° fronting the working class; fe compelling a growiné bone working people to re-ena past policies and to seek 7 those which can meet the cha lenge of the times. ‘ 2 It is more than unfortine that the way the conve a was run made it difficult pees. at these questions in am e _ive and rounded out way- vo ee To help the trade unio® oe -ment turn to the left, ra ! coheré! i a stronger, more ‘he trade ore united left in e ie his Pe? haps may b ant conclusion to be draw? this convention. Some of the 1,600 delegates who crowded the CLC convention floor : a Reasons why the CCF lost Sask. election a By NELSON CLARKE There are two possible out- comes of the Suskatchewan elec- tion. In order of probability they * The mation Liberal ernment; * The swit- ching to the CCF, following the count of an estimated 25,- 000 absentee and advance poll ballots, of enough doubtful seats, so as to make it im- possible for the Liberals to ef- fectively control the Legislature. In this case, another election would follow very shortly. for- Of sa gov- In any case, the CCF is Sas- katchewan has suffered aserious reverse which cannot but tem- porarily set back in this coun- try the long, painful process of the development of peoples po- litical action independent of the old capitalist parties. Thatcher in power Can be ex- pected to undermine medicare, car insurance and other reform programs of the government. He can be expected to make big concessions to U.S. and Canad- ian monopolies’ which would like to strengthen their grip on Sas- katchewan resources. He has already, in flat violation of pre- ‘ country, election promises declared his intention of replacing CCF sup- porters in the civil service with his own heelers. Progressive Canadians every- where will view this result with deep regret and concern, and the reasons for it need careful study. The following are some preliminary comments. The CCF government in Sas. katchewan has never become ‘*acceptable”’ to the upholders of the established order in this Its policies have con- tinued to meet deep resistance from large numbers of conserva- tive-minded people inSaskatche- wan, In this election again, not one daily paper, nor one radio or TV station in the province supported the government. What this means in terms of votes can be seen by a compar- ison of the 1960 and 1964 results. In 1960, the CCF secured 41 percent of the popular vote, the Liberals 33 percent, the Conser- vatives and Social Credit each running full slates of candidates drew 14 and 12 percent respect- ively. In 1964, the CCF vote held at 40.5 percent, the Liberal vote ‘went up to 40.5 percent, the Conservatives running in only 43 of 59 ridings increased their share to 18.6 percent. Social Cre- dit, contesting only two seats. faded out as a factor in the election. There is no doubt that the So- cial Credit vote went heavily to the Liberals, These voters, Election background ‘free enterprisers’’ and many of them in Saskatchewan tending to the ultra Right, quite natural- ly saw in Ross Thatcher the al. ternative which came closest to expressing their own political viewpoint. In one rural riding after another, one can trace the ~ impact of this vote in electing the Liberal candidate. This development was predict- able, and should have caused the CCF sfrategists to see the need for a bold fight to gain new ground. Instead they fought the election on their record, and on the personal leadership of Woodrow Lloyd. They brought forward no spe- cific prograin for the next four years which could have counter- ed Thatcher’s criticisms with respect to the relatively slow industrial growth of the pro- vince, and the high level of tax- ation. They fought a defen- sive campaign, like prisoners in the dock. When Conservative spokes- man Alvin .Hamilton returned from China with glowing ac- counts of the possibilities of the Chinese market for Saskatche- wan industry as well as for its agriculture, and when he called for farmer and cooperative dele- gations to visit China, there was no reaction from the CCF spokesman, Right wing influence in the CCF government has con- sistently blocked provincial ef- forts to’ expand trade with so- cialist countries, onthe ‘‘theory’’ that this would lead to the CCF being ‘‘red baited.’’ In this election, such political paralysis was disastrous. Yet it was clear that Hamilton’s line was winning support, as is now evidenced in the election of a Conservative representative to the legislature for the first time in 35 years. : All this created the impres- sion (carefully nurtured by the Liberals and Conservatives) that here was an ‘‘old’’ govern- ment, born out of the struggles of another era, and unable to adjust itself to the realities of the 1960's, . There was much evidence that the CCF (in contrast to the NDP’s national campaign in the > federal election of 1963) was failing to attract the young vot- ers. (One small but reveal example of how this image is backwardness was heighten® by to be found in the panning the Saskatchewan censor % 4) motion picture: ‘*Tom Jones The combination of a sori able alliance against it, own failure to project neW cies that could have won © support brought the governm™ down to defeat. The ideas for a new progr for Saskatchewan projected Communist Party met be warm response from though forward-looking CCF’ers- de will be more heard of thes®¥ in the coming days. The jm?" of the Communist campaig? oF not be judged alone by th votes polled by Norman ° in North Regina, (as comey to 344 votes secured in the election when Regina Wao ~ one multiple riding, inste® being split six ways as at sent.) Now clearly the need :) a united struggle by all pros? j é sive forces in the pro around policies based on theP spective of peaceful trade, cies which will build Saskate i counter the threat of — from Ross Thatcher and hi erals. “May 8, 1964—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—P!