‘

Provincial election program

HE Tory-Liberal Coalition is a gov-

ernment of the wealthy corporations.
This has been amply demonstrated by
the record of the Johnson-Anscomb Coali-
tion. The Tories and Liberals are united
for one purpose—to block the progressive
aspirations of the people. This they do
in an open and flagrant manner.

The Labor-Progressive Party calls up-
on you, the people of British Columbia,
to defeat the Johnson-Anscomb Coali-
tion of Tory-Liberal reaction, to cast
your vote for men and women who have
proven themselves fighters for peace,
security, and democracy.

Under the pretext of “saving” the people
and resources of British Columbia from
what it calls “Socialism,” the Johnson-
Anscomb Coalition seeks a new mandate
from the electorate—in order to continue
in its service to the big corporations.
Using the slogans of “free enterprise”
and anti-Communist propaganda, the Co-
alition strives to confuse the people,
cover up its shameless betrayal of elec-
tion promises and bankruptcy of admin-
istration in the affairs of the common
people. The real issue is “the people’s
needs vs. big business interests.” se

Behind the Johnson-Anscomb Coalition
boast of “great industrial development,”
new pulp mills, celanese, aluminum plants,
hydro-electric expansion, ete. lurk the
war schemes of. the armament and war
profiteers of U.S. cartels. Coalition sup-
port of the North Atlantic war pact,
presenting it as an integral part of the
“defense” of free enterprise, places the
Johnson-Anscomb alliance in the war
camp of reaction. .

By virtue of Coalition policies a small
-handful of powerful monopolists have
reaped new millions in. profits, but the
great majority of British Columbia’s
people, workers, farmer, small business
men, professionals, and others, find only
greater insecurity, lowered standards of
‘life, fear, and uncertainty.
fantastic promises of “industrial. expan-
- sion,’ the Coalition is trying to hide the
real fact that British Columbia’s basic
industries are facing an increasingly acute
market crisis, about which the Coalition
does and intends to do nothng.

Taxation

HAT has. the Coalition done?

placed the full weight of thé tax
burden onto the people, thus safeguard-
ing the profits of the rich monopolies.

The Labor-Progressive Party proposes:

Immediate repeal of the sales tax and
poll tax. To the tens of thousands of
families in the low wage income groups,
this iniquitous tax comes closer;to a six
spercent tax, added to their already high
living costs. :

Restoration of the Excess Profits Tax,
a steeply graduated industrial levy on
gross profits which would assure that
big monopoly concerns like the H. R.

MacMillan Export, Co. Ltd., the CM&S,\ _

CPR, BCER, and similar monopolies,
would carry their rightful share of tax-
ation. This would assure to the people
of British Columbia that degree of social
security and economic welfare, which is
their right as citizens of a province
rich in natural resources. .

Immediate reopening of the Dominion-
Provincial taxation ‘‘deal’” consumated by
the previous Hart-Anscomb Coalition gov-
ernment. The revenue which reverts to

' B.C. from federal taxation on income has
been greatly limited by this “deal” depriv-
ing the people of millions of dollars,
which the Coalition now seeks tO augment
by ‘additional burdensome taxation upon
the people, rather than upon big business.

kets, industrial
Markets, industria
development
' has the Coalition done? - Secret
concessions to monbpoly—aluminum,
BCER—a plea for more MacMillans—an
admission that Marshall Plan restrictions

are crippling our basic industries—but
little else. ;

_ The Labor-Progressive Party proposes:

Behind its

_ ance,
It has

Promotion of markets for B.C. products
abroad through introduction of “barter”’
trade agreement with Europe and Asia.

Working out of a trade agreement with

Britain to ensure that a substantial portion
of the 1949 fruit and dairy produce can
be marketed there on equitable and satis-
factory terms to both countris. Organiza-
tion of a system of provincial-backed
credits, enabling Britain to give priority
to B.C. lumber products.

Development of new hydro-electric power
installations under provincial ownership
and control. Public ownership of BCER
and West Kootenay Power & Light Com--

_ pany.

Erection of a basic steel mill in B.C.,
together with promotion of steel and
other metal-processing enterprises.

Cancellation of all export of iron ore,
uranium, or other raw materials for war
purposes to the U.S.

'
Promotion of British Columbia’s ship-

building industry and rapid development .

of new and basic industries. No secret
deals with “free enterprise” giving away
the resources and rights of the people.

: Development of secondary industries
(as recommended in the Committee Re-
port on Industrial Reconstruction, 1944)

to promote domestic market requirements, |

and provide steady remunerative employ-
ment.

Health and social
security |

HAT has the Coalition done? A “hos-.

pitalization insurance” scheme—which
fails to provide hospitalization when need-
ed. Refusal to reopen the Workmen’s
Compensation Act for needed amendments.
“Pasing the buck” to “federal responsibil-
ity,” for British Columbia’s lack of edu-
eational, hospital, and recreational facili-
ties.

The Labor-Progressive Party proposes:

A 1949-50 Hospital Insurance Plan de-
signed to double the capacity of hospital
accommodation in B.C.

Extension of the present Hospital In-
surance Act to include full health insur-
covering medical, dental, optical,
and maternity requirements.

All health insurance premiums to be
based upon individual and family income.

Provincial legislation providing diag-
nosis, treatment, and accommodation for
arthrite and rheumatic patients. =

An annual provincial subsidy for pro-
motion and maintenance of a system of
dy nurseries, with provision for trained
supervisory and medical personnel.

Workmen’s Compensation Act benefits
to be computed on the basis of 100 percent
wage compensation from time of accident
or other industrial disability.

The provincial government to fight for
more adequate unemployment insurance
benefits.

Labor code

T has the Coalition done? At the
bidding of the Chamber of Commerce
and the like it has attempted to Taft-
Hartleyize” British Columbia labor by
a series of amendments to the Industrial
Conciliation and Arbitration Act (ICA)
through introduction of Bills 39-87, de-
signed to cripple labor’s bargaining po-

tential and outlaw strike action.
The Labor-Progressive Party proposes:

Repeal of Bill 87 and enactment of a

Labor Code consistent with the demands
of organized labor.

“Labor representatives” on Labor Boards
to be elected upon the democratic: basis
of referendum and recall.

Civil rights

HAT has the Coalition done? To cover
up its monopoly-dominated policies, it
has given approval and encouragment to
the abrogation of civil and democratic
liberties in‘ B.C., in. the fields of law,
trade unionism, education, and culture.
The Labor-Progressive Party proposes:
The enactment of a provincial Bill of
Rights which will guarantee to the citizen

of the Labor-Progressive
party as adopted at the
fifth annual convention

freedom of speech and-assembly, freedom
of conscience, and the right to choose a
vocation without discrimination because
of race, color, sex, political or religious
affiliations. :

Such a bill to include penalties against
individuals, corporations, or those in
charge of public institutions, who discrim-
inate against citizens or others because
of color,. race, or ideals; to make anti-
Semitism in B.C. a statutory offense, ap-
plicable to all who practise it, whether
openly or by “secret agreement.” The
right of all citizens to vote at eighteen
years of age. ‘

Public works

HAT has the Coalition done? Scores
of municipalities are suffering be-
causé of lack of school facilities—build-
ings, transportation, trained personnel.
B.C. roads, mile for mile, are the worst

in Canada. The ravages of the 1948 floods ;

are still felt by thousands of B.C. citizens,

menaced by the danger of new fioods.
New hospitals, schools, parks, and other
badly needed public utilities are countered
with threats of new taxation upon the
people, rather than upon corporate finance
and industry. ; *

The Labor-Progressive Party proposes:
Setting up of a provincial Public Works
Authority to direct all provincial under-
takings in the sphere of building schools,
hospitals, roads, parks, flood contro] facil-

Three cents, and
more often four,
‘five and six cents
of every dollar
you spend go on
the Sales Tax—
the impost devis-
ed by the Coali-
tion to protect
the fat profits of
big business. The
Sales Tax is the
final straw on the
burden of high
prices and _ the
LPP has consis-
tently fought for
its repeal. “Here
Nigel Morgan,
LPP candidate
for Alberni, leads
a protest demon-
stration.

ities, bridges, ete, and to establish 4
central provincial pool of supplies and
equipment for construction of all the.
above public utilities. ” ic

Agriculture

AT has the Coalition done for the |
farmers? It increased rural schoo]
taxes, in some cases by 300 percent, with- j

‘out providing for needed school facilitie> _

It kept rural road maintenance on
partisan basis—which means impassable
roads in outlying communities, It h@*
twiddled its thumbs while markets 1%
B.C. praduce have contracted or dis@P—
peared entirely.

The Labor-Progressive Party proposes’

Establishment of a fioor-price for ;
agricultural products, by a provincial gov"
ernment subsidy which would guarantee
an equitable price to the primary PFO
ducer.

Préparation of a 5-year plan of fi008
control which would include: (a) water
diversion for hydro development and ru
electrification; (b) adequate dyking 1%
all waterways where flood threats obtaiD’
(ce) extended irrigation reservoirs to facil 3
itate water run-off, : oa

Full responsibility for the preservatio? —
of B.C. fisheries to be equally shared "y
federal and provincial government. |

An extensive program of reforestatio?
and soil conservation. ;

Ballad for

ia beak Y¥ call us the mass, the great un-

washed.
But ours was the dirt of their profit
They found us hard to look upon
For their sins were tattooed on our
faces ’ ‘
We, who made the wheels go round
._ Became the comic section of a club
man’s mind :
They could only smell our sweat
They could never understand oa
Hands wanted, hearts get in the way,
But there is a story told in Birming-
ham ; : ‘
Of how God himself came down to
open wide ‘ f
The hospitals of heaven
When the girls who worked |
In the great new mill
Died that night
_ They had an extra contract to fulfill.

May all the tears of all the kids
That ever went short of candy :

‘The sick, the deaf, the broke, the plind |
The People,

. Diagnosing the disease

May Day

Roll ‘in waves across the world

And take their breakfast with thé
moon. 3 :

People crawling from beneath

The heavy wheel of greed

'Unfed dirty men and hungry W0
filled with anger,

All who suffer and our poor

eee...

men f°

You and your child, my wife and I ait
Hungry, unemployed, oppressed Huma® a

ity; : E ; t
But this mighty hungry mob

Come’ to consume, nat to destroy: of |

We're little spittle from the mouth
truth © re

We are not great objective brains

But listen
For somewhere also t
We contain the cure. ; ay
—From Paul Potts’ ‘A ra
Day Ballad for g