ARBITRARY RULINGS

Minister of Immigration
holds open dictatorship

By JOHN WEIR

The Ontario Court of Appeal,
to quote the report in the Tor-
onto Telegram of Sept. 29, “has
upheld the right of federal Cab-
inet ministers to deny Canadian
citizenship to an alien without
giving a reason.”

The “alien” in this instance,
and he is typical of thousands
of others similarly treated, came
to Canada when he was 11 years
of age, fought as a volunteer in
the Canadian Army during the
war (and thought that automa-
tically made him a citizen) and
applied four times to acquire
citizenship — and was rejected
four times without any reason
being given.

So Mr. R. Dowhopoluk filed a
claim with the bodies that ad-
minister what is called justice.

Mr. Justice G. A. Addy of the
Supreme Court’s trial division
dismissed the action. He stated
(to quote the Telegram again)
that “the Crown’s discretion to
award or refuse citizenship has
always been recognized as abso-
lute...”

The Ontario Court of Appeal
has upheld that ruling.

So the facts are clear. What-
ever claim other departments of
Canada’s government may make
to being democratic, whatever
the extent to which other sec-
tions may be curbed by Parlia-
ment or the public, there are
some that are “absolute,” the
Department of Citizenship and
Immigration for one.

The minister makes decisions

without consulting anyone. He
does not report his reasons. He
isn’t held responsible for his ac-
tions.

He is THE LAW.

High among the democratic
tasks facing the Canadian peo-
ple is to end this intolerable
dictatorship.

The Telegram story notes that
having once belonged to the
Communist Party is. “not
grounds for rejection in itself.”
Nor does present membership in
this legal Canadian party of
workers dedicated to demo-
cracy, peace and social advance
constitute such “grounds.” But
like Hitler’s, the Canadian anti-
communist scythe cuts. a wide
swath. Hundreds of those that

are denied citizenship aren’t

members of the Communist
Party.
The dictatorship of this

branch of our Canadian govern-
ment applies not only to citizen-
ship rights but also to the grant-
ing of visas to visit Canada.

Replying recently to Ontario
Communist leader William
Stewart’s wire of protest against
allowing Italian _ neofascist
“duce” Picardo to speak in Tér-
onto, Immigration Minister Lang
pompously wrote: “Recognizing
the rights of Canadians to lis-
ten to whom they wish, no mat-
ter how extreme or unpopular
the views expressed might be,
it has been government policy
to allow entry of persons under
reputable auspices to give
speeches or lectures subject to
certain conditions.”

Mr. Lang does not tell the
truth. What about the foreign
fraternal delegations to past
conventions of the Communist
Party and other progressive or-
ganizations, guest speakers to
peace gatherings, even Ukrain-
ian sculptors to the unveiling of
statues they made, and hun-
dreds of others that have been
refused entry?

Does Mr. Lang mean that the
individuals who were denied
visas were “persona non grata”
in all those cases, or that the
“auspices” were not “reput-
able?”

Mr. Lang and his masters
should be compelled to show
evidence for their decisions on
who is “desirable” to invite here
and who is “reputable” to do
the inviting—and the same on
citizenship rights! Those deci-
sions permit fascists and war-
mongers to come here but bar
workers’ representatives and
peace champions. They grant
citizenship to those who fought
in Hitler’s armies and deny it
to those who fought in Canadian
or allied forces.

The conclusion is incontrover-
tible that this department, load-
ed with Canadian reactionaries,
the RCMP and fascist “displac-
ed persons,” is functioning
against the interests of Canada
and of our people.

Make it responsible.

Make it democratic.

Make it Canadian.

Athenians demonstrate

ATHENS — On Sept. 22, the
funeral of the eminent Greek
public figure and outstanding
poet, George Seferis, was trans-
formed by the people into a
huge anti-dictatorship demon-
stration.

Twenty thousand people turn-
ed out to mourn Seferis, who
was revered in particular for his
courageous branding of the
fascist colonels’ illegal seizure
of power in 1967. After the
service, thousands of mourners
followed the cortege to the
cemetery chanting “Hail Free-
dom”, (the national anshem) and
Seferis’ song, “When will the
stars appear again?” Shouts of
“Freedom!” “Democracy” “Fas-
cism Shall Not Pass”, and
“Down with the Junta” were
heard by the thousands of
Athenians lining the streets or
watching from balconies. The
widow of the poet refused the
junta’s offer of a state funeral.

Among the many wreaths
covering the coffin were. several

from political prisoners in the
Trikkala and Alikarnassons pri-
sons. One wreath was from the
Association of Greek Writers.
President Makarios of Cyprus
sent condolences and many
were received direct by Mrs.
Seferis while others were pub-
lished in the press.

Seferis published his first
poems in 1931 and in 1963 was
awarded the Nobel Prize for
Poetry. He refused to publish
any poems in Greece during the
dictatorship after 1967 and in a
statement on March 28, 1969
said: “It is almost two years
since a regime was imposed
upon us utterly contrary to the
ideals for which our world —
and so magnificently our people
— fought in the last war. It is

a state of enforced torpor in.

which all the intellectual values
that we have succeeded, with
toil and effort, in keeping alive
are being submerged in a
swamp, in stagnant waters.”

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1971—PAGE 6

sears Re:

U.S.-style democratic elections in Saigon. Tear gas envelopes students at Van Nanh un

they protest last-Sunday’s uncontested election

vers

ee

US. fall offensive for peace

; pina”
that the war in Indoct 30:

NEW YORK—National lead-
ers in trade unions, civil rights,
peace and national liberation
groups, 16 members of the U.S.
Congress, artists, writers, actors
and religious leaders are back-
ing a call for all Americans to
join in the Oct. 13 and Nov. 6
anti-war demonstrations.

A statement declaring ‘The
war will not end until we help
it” published by the co-sponsors
of the fall initiatives, the Peo-
ple’s Coalition for Peace and
Justice and the National Peace
Action Coalition appeared in the
New York Times on Sept. 28
and 29. Over 100 prominent in-
dividuals signed.

The statement points to the
war in Indochina as the cause
of the nation’s depressed econ-
omy, massive unemployment,
and the increasing problems of
the Black, Puerto Rican and
Chicano minorities.

“The power to end the war is
at hand,” the statement says.
“. . The united demonstrations
of Oct. 13 and Nov. 6 can be the
most massive in American his-
tory... . The time is now!”

Among the signers from: the
trade union movement are Abe
Feinglass, international vice-
president of the Amalgamated
Meatcutters Union and Victor
Reuther of the United Auto
Workers. Actors Ossie Davis,
Ruby Dee, Jane Fonda and play-
wright Arthur Miller have sign-
ed. :

Congressmen and other elect-
ed officials who have signed the
ad are Senator Birch Bayh
(Ind.); Mayor Carl B. Stokes of
Cleveland; Reps. Bella Abzug of
New York and Ronald Dellums
of California; and Senators John
V. Tunney (Calif.) and Vance
Hartke (Ind.).

Meanwhile in Washington,
delegates to the convention of
the National Federation of So-
cial Service Employees; from 17
social worker unions both inde-
pendent and AFL-CIO affiliates,
representing 40,000 workers,
voted to urge nationwide work
stoppages on Moratorium Day,
Oct. 13 against the war in Indo-
china and against Nixon’s wage
freeze.

The anti-Indochina war reso-
lution passed by the convention
declared, “‘The government of
the U.S. continues to prosecute
a criminal war against the Viet-
namese people . . . Racism, eco-
nomic exploitation and political

repression remain the domestic
policies of the Nixon Adminis-
tration,” it adds, and concludes,
“that on Oct. 13 the NFSSE
encourage activities including
but not limited to work stop-
pages, teach-ins and film show-
ings during lunch hours and out-
door rallies in the afternoon in
support of the nationwide mora-
torium.”

Also in Washington 14 Dis-
trict of Columbia local unions
have endorsed the Oct. 13 “stop
business as usual” rally.

They include five locals of the
American Federation of Govern-
ment Employees, seven locals of
the Hotel, Restaurant and Bar-
tenders Union, the Washington
Teachers Union, and the Drug
and Hospital local union 1199.

A joint resolution adopted by
the AFGE locals declared, “We,
the following trade unionists
join in the world-wide demand

na

rought to an end.-- . ef
Santee trade unionist ow
dorse the Oct. 13 Morate cen

The Greater washingth nol
tral Labor Council, alt ee Nov:
supporting the Oct. angen

initiatives, unanimous a im)

ced the war and demal". - om

: : a
mediate U.S. withdraw esol”

Indochina. The Councll Giga
tion, representing 110 coritY of
unions, declared, “A ne pers
American trade union eh, Uo
favor the withdrawal by pet
troops from Indochina .
31’ t of ef’
Although falling SBOP, ie
dorsation, the adoption gst
100,000 member Greate’ qd
ington Central Labor ar 10
AFL-CIO, of its anteWe addr
lution is expected to SP its 1?
tional thousands of ue rally
take part in the Oct
labor leaders said.

Vandalism at Bookworlé

sparks Canada-wide drive”

Acts of political vandalism re-
sulting in mounting break-ins of
bookstores and malicious dam-
age to valuable books will be
aired at the coming October
meeting of directors of the Cana-
dian Booksellers Association to
be held in Gravenhurst, Ontario.
The Western director of the
CBA, Floyd Williston, has an-
nounced his intention of pre-
senting a special resolution be-
fore the meeting, arising speci-
fically out of the September 10-
11 invasion of Book World, a
Toronto bookshop of some 25
years standing located at Bay
and Gerrard Street West.

He expressed his “concern
and disgust” about the destruc-
tion of some 700 volumes and
an estimated $3,000 general
damage done the store through
deliberate flooding of the prem-
ises. The attack on the store has
been linked to activities of the
ultra-right Edmund Burke So-
ciety, which publicly boasted
that had it been involved would
have destroyed the whole store.

“I am greatly alarmed by the
possible implications of this van-
dalism,” declared Mr. Williston.
“It is clear that the vandalism
in this particular case was cal-
culated and of a serious political
nature with very dangerous
overtones.” He is urging that the

e

CBA take a public stand
demning such actions duals
tionary groups or indi¥} :

a threat to all bookstore 15

Neighborhood mer cht qo
bookstore managers
ronto and leading
have co-signed a VP ogc?
worded statement 0 vise af
about the unchecked jie!
ultra-right activity
against bookstores if oat
to the Metropolitan T° ave
lice Commission af ‘
manded swift action PY (gti
lice to bring the guil
to account.

1s
In a letter dated SeP’ ‘a
dressed to the Toren fl
chief and Mayor Denn pit”
World manager Mager", vil’
lists 14 cases of right in LY
lence that have occure? qth
ronto in the past sever jel
“We are urging in ee
that all relevant eviden (pit
leads be tigate”
charges be lodged 19 © fy
riate instances wit Own
delay; and that the nat A se
be publicly assured tha | iti -
tition of such acts © jibe
vandalism affecting ¢ e ont? Wa
of all in the City of TOigt
not be tolerated, and prose
guilty parties will
ed.”

investig ie ap

—_