RIME Minister Pearson and
the 10 provincial premiers
meeting at Charlottetown

have “affirmed their unanimous
decision to conclude the repat-
riation of the British North
Americ~ Act without delay.”

This means that henceforth,
the BNA Act, which is our con-
stitution, would cease to be a
law of the British parliament at
Westininster. This would end
the indignity of having to seek
the approval of a parliament in
another country before we in
Canada could make necessary
changes in our own constitution.
It would wipe out one of the
most important remnants of
British colonial rule over Can-
ada.

All democratic Canadians ap-
prove of an end to these condi-
tions of inferiority. It has been
called for by the Communist
Party as well as many other or-
ganizations of the people for a
long period of years.

But there is a problem in this
connection which has yet.to be
resolved. The fact is Canada

- needs a new constitution which

will recognize the full equality
of the two nations in our Coun-
try—French and English-speak-
ing Canada — and which will
generally guarantee the demo-
cratic rights of all Canadians.
The old British North America
Act fails to do this, although it
does guarantee the right to use
the French language in Quebec
and in the federal Parliament,
and spells out the jurisdiction of
the provinces over education.
Both of these questions are look-
ed upon as matters of vital im-
portance in Quebec.

For decades, the people of
Quebec have been deeply con-
cerned over the possibility that
if the constitution were to be
“repatriated” to Canada, the
English-speaking majority might
amend it in a way that would

Vie Nuove, Rome

On the
labor front

deprive Quebec of certain na-
tional rights.

Therefore, up till now, Que-
bec has always stood out against
allowing the BNA Act to become
a Canadian law.

The prime minister and the
premiers claimed in their com-
munique issued after the Char-
lottetown conference to have
agreed on a formula for amend-
ing. the Constitution within
Canada.

Briefly, this formula would
provide that in matters of basic
provincial rights such as edu-
cation, no amendment could be
made without the unanimous
consent of all provinces, includ-

ing of course, Quebec.

On other matters affecting the
relations of the federal govern-
ment and the provinces, it would

be necessary to have the con-
sent of two thirds of the prov-
inces (that is, seven) repre-
senting more than half the
population of Canada. -

This could mean that on very
important matters affecting, for
example, the economy of the
French Canadian nation, the
constitution could be amended
without the consent of the prov-
ince of Quebec. Undoubtedly
important sections of French
Canadian public opinion will be
very worried over such provi-
sions.

It was not surprising, there-
fore, that the ink was hardly
dry on the Charlottetown com-
munique than the provincial pre-
miers began to interpret it in
different ways.

Premier Robarts of Ontario
said that the communique meant
that the BNA Act should be

brought to Canada the
and the details %
ments should b@
later.
On the other hands
clear that the Cle
is that the BNA
repatriated unt 4
of how it is solne
ed in Canada is S¢
eo

And to throw ble
influential news
lish Canada startles

“entrenched”
amendment only
mous consent 0
They said this W
ting the Canada ®
into a cage from
not escape, exceP
breaking into a
The fact is that @%
thus deny Qube
tion over such nl
under its conta
1867 would vel é
er quickly to We"
he county into g

We Canadians wa ,
the root of out F
problems until 4 4
sembly is set up wil
constitution which
on the fact that
nations in our
must be placed
ing, so that pre
can be ended, 5 4.
fused mess of eer
relations can Dé mene
above all, so tha
French and Englis ate
voluntarily cooper, @
democratic prog!
country.

id

Trade union structure

By WILLIAM KASHTAN

HE PROBLEM :of trade
union structure is be-
coming a pressing one

in this day of fast moving
events.

The ITU strike at the three
daily papers in Toronto illus-
trates one aspect of the prob-
em. In this case technological
developments, including auto-
mated processes, eliminate
entire skills and crafts while
promoting new skills. This
process, which may affect an
ever-growing section of the
economy, could play ducks
and drakes with present trade
union structures. It emphas-
izes rather urgently the need
for serious review of this
question.

What may have been ade-
quate under one set of con-
ditions may not be useful to
the working class under en-
tirely different conditions.

Even if automation were
not on the agenda, the grow-
Ing concentration of the pow-
er of monopoly suggests the
need for ever growing unity

on the part of the trade
unions. In this case automa-
tion makes it imperative to
rapidly overcome past divi-
sions and to unite workers
and their unions in every in-
dustry so as to more effec-
tively defend their vital in-

~ terests.

The trade union movement
cannot afford to drag its feet
on this question. Whether it
takes the form of cooperation
around agreed objectives, fed-
erations of unions in an in-
dustry, amalgamation or mer-
ger, that process of unity
needs to be stimulated to en-
able the workers and _ their
unions to cope with the new
problems technological
change and automation pose
before society today.

* * *

The difficulty of resolving ~
this urgent problem lies not
so much in Canada, although
there are problems here too;
the real difficulty lies: in the
fact that the power to make
Gecisions rests in the hands

of international union head-
quarters in the United States
—and not in the hands of the
Canadian membership of most
of these international unions.

Until this is changed the
trade union movement will
continue to limp and drag be-
hind events.

* * *

Therefore a second aspect
of trade union — structure
which needs to be given: in-
creasing attention is that of
national autonomy for all in-
ternational unions in this
country. What is involved
here is the right of the Cana-
dian membership to make de-
cisions without a veto by in-
ternational union headquart-
ers.

A third aspect of trade
union structure has to do
with French Canada. The
problem is twofold: first, to
recognize the *bi- national
character of Canada, includ-
ing the right of self determin-
ation of the French Canadian

people; secondly, to give it
expression in trade union
Structure. How little this is
understood was displayed at
the last Canadian Labor
Congress convention in Mont-
real where the idea of having
a French Canadian elected to
the Executive was not acted
upon,

This is only one aspect of
a problem which goes much
deeper. The Quebec Federa-
tion-of Labor is, by and large,
considered no different than
other provincial federations of
labor. But if one accepts the
viewpoint that French Canada
constitutes a nation, then one
must also accept the view-
point that the Quebec Federa-
ifon of Labor represents the
erganized working class, or
21 important part of the
working class of that nation.

* * *

This lack of understanding
finds its expression in the
present relationship of the
Quebec Federation of Labor
to the Canadian Labor Con-
gress, which is no different

he
than that of ott
federations.

can be of COP ing
portance in ©
problem of int
fare which unl?
pears to be 0
the day in.
also be of great
in undertaking gt
drive to org@
organized. Not
perhaps creaté
eventually yer
tions of orgat!
Quebec and the fc
a more effectiV? |
economic, legis!#”
tical fields.

‘Here, trade unl?
while rooted
character of 4s
movement, neé at
pond with the %
~ations of the il
dian people. #4
could result 18 i
back for the Q
ation of Labor- s

These three ie
trade union SUU™ 44
tually part of o
ture: the abilit¥ ~
union moveme?
to what is neW apd
vance polici@? gy
which can best
interests of the ™ i

They need tN
atiention of all ¥

tf
September 25, 1964—PACIFIC TRIBUY