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Expo:

Wednesday, August 29, 1984

’ Newsstand Price 40° Vol. 47, No. 34

‘Right-to-work’ law enacted

— page 8

| Predicted Tory sweep
not drive to right,
Kashtan tells rally

It was balloons, games, folk and rock
Music and some hard-hitting political
Statements that marked the closing stretch
Of the federal race and the Communist

arty’s campaign Saturday.
_ That’s when some 250 people gathered
MM the large grassy area adjacent to the
Tout Lake Community Centre in Van-
Couver’s John Hendry Park to cheer on
-C.’s 10 Communist candidates and hear
4 summation of Canada’s political situa-
ton from CP general-secretary Bill
ashtan.

Tn his speech, and in an interview later,

“ashtan said the apparent upcoming Tory
Victory is not indicative of a drive to the
Tight, “but of the Canadian people’s real
desire for a change from the policies of the
Liberals,

_ If people really knew the Conserva-
‘lives’ policies, they’d, never be elected,”

ashtan told’ the crowd.
e Tories have played it safe and

store with a Conservative government,

Ut some idea can be gleaned from party
fader Brian Mulroney’s statements, said
‘ashtan.

ASR a SRR

Next Trib Sept. 7)

ince next week’s normal publication day |

|: a ae Labor Day, and the federal election is |
Unt) y after, we've decided to hold that issue |
a Sept. 7, to provide a proper |
: Ip of the federal election.

Fol
gain on Sept. 19.

FINAL DAYS OF CP CAMPAIGN. ..above, Communist Party general-secretary Bill
Kashtan addresses CP picnic and rally in Vancouver Saturday.

Tefused to give much indication of what’s

Owing that, we'll skip a week and be {

He noted that despite Mulroney’s
alleged concern for the plight of poor
seniors, particularly women, he has prom-
ised to “improve their lot” only when the
economy improves, “so they'll have to
wait a hell of a long time.

“Mulroney also made statements con-
cerning affordable child care, which work-
ing people really need. Then he says he’ll
set up a task force to investigate the issue.
So even though he really seemed to be
saying something about the issue, his
‘really something’ turns out to be zero,”
Kashtan charged.

Both the Liberals and Tories emphasize

the private sector as the means to create
jobs. In contrast, the Communist Party
says that “only a massive government

_ action can create the conditions for full

employment,” said Kashtan.

_ The Communist leader also slammed
Prime Minister and Liberal leader John
Turner’s opposition to a nuclear-weapons

freeze: ““Turner’s not for a nuclear freeze ~

because the U.S. government doesn’t want
him to be. :

“What kind of democracy is it, when 85 _

per cent of the Candian people can say
‘yes’ to a freeze while two or three people
say ‘no,’ and their opinion carries the
day?” he asked. -

Faced with the danger of a right-wing
parliamentary sweep, the Communist
Party made overtures to the NDP to unite
around a common program of jobs and
peace, said Kashtan.

“But (NDP leader Ed) Broadbent's

Peace Is now
major issue

in election

% ba <
FRANK KENNEDY, JOHN BRODERICK, CARMELA ALLEVATO. . .End the Arms question-

naire found increased support for peace. Story page 7.

Sc sasapeneoeer om

De cammsenese

Mainstreeting with Vancouver East candidate Miguel Figueroa (with leaflets).

“People are becoming more open to
Communists. We don’t see that same old
cold war attitude like we used to,” he said,
raising the possibility of a significant
increase in the Communist vote this
election. i

Later Kashtan told the Tribune the |

response was that he didn’t want that kind
of support from the Communist Party,”
Kashtan related. He noted Broadbent’s
statements that the NDP had “finally
shaken off its socialist baggage” and is a
party that supports “‘free enterprise” raises
the question of differences between the
NDP and the old-line parties. expected Tory majority may not result in
Despite that, the NDP has policies Socred-style restraint policies on a national
worth supporting and “we will continue _ scale.
our critical support of NDP candidates in For one thing, the Canadian public
ridings where Communists .are not won’t support them. Nor may the Liber-
running.” ae als, who may want to distance themselves
While the Communist Party’s 52 candi- _ significantly from the government while in
dates and workers have been out on the opposition, he said. :
hustings, they’ve noticed changes in atti- The biggest fear is the tying of Canada’s |
tudes on the part of working people, Kash- foreign policy even closer to that of the |
tan said. ; * Reagan administration, Kashtan warned. }