|

th Canadian working people looked to him in
ir struggle to build the labor movement
and to win Canadian independence. They _
rallied to his defence when he was impris-
Oned.:

He was a patriot, an internationalist, a
eader and a scholar.

- ree
Cc

} A surgeon of brilliance, Dr. ..Norman
s thune developed radical new surgical
_| ‘chniques for the treatment of tuberculosis.

, 2utas a physician in Montreal he saw many
re ofhis patients were victims of the sickness of

iy. He became an outspoken advocate
°F social justice and socialized medicine.

_ That concern took him to Spain on the side
f the Republican forces fighting the fascist
48gression ini that country. It was there that

Mobile blood transfusion units were
|, Ploneered.

In 1938. he was selected to head up a medi-
Cal team which travelled to China to aid the
T€volutionary forces in that country, where

€ Was to die the following year as a result of
Sopticemia, contracted while operating.

Renee
oo

is Suspicion that arsonists set the early mom-

ee blaze that razed the headquarters of the
ommunist Party, June 24, 1980 have to date

een unconfirmed.

yewitness reports saw two men tun from
behind the building just prior to hearing an
€xplosion.

re neighbor reported she heard voices in,

‘he yard behind the building at about 3:45

4m. while sitting in her kitchen. When she

Soked out her window she saw two men

Minning down the lane.

ae After two or three minutes I heard some-
ing like a firecracker,’’ she related. “ After

4 short time I looked out and the whole roof

Was flaming.”

A week after the fire, phone calls allegedly

Made by a member of the Jewish Defence

Gan” an extreme right-wing group, to the

: Obe and Mail and CITY-TV in Toronto
0k responsibility for the fire.

& Despite this.evidence the fire marshall’:
5 Ce concluded in its report in early July
80 that the fire’s cause was “‘undeter-

mmontes 3. 2% ; +e

Protests from the building's owners, some
members of parliament, labor, democratic
and ethnic organizations did not move the
solicitor-general or the fire marshall’s office
to reopen the investigation. There have been
no charges laid to date.

However condemnation of the act and
financial support for rebuilding immediately
poured in. ~ ;

Individuals and organizations responded
with financial donations. The Federation of
Russian Canadians donated $5,000; $36,000
came in from organizations in British Colum-
bia in the first month following the fire.

A group of trade unionists raised $25,000 to
establish a meeting room in the new centre to
be known as the George Harns-Jean Paré
Room, in honor of the two late veteran labor
leaders, members of the United Electrical
Workers Union.

Individuals from across Canada lent their
support in contributions from $5 to $2,000
until the rebuilding fund stood at over
$500,000 by the year’s end. Many of them
contained their own personal messages, such
as this one from a Montreal woman ... “so
these miserable ‘enemies of’ the people’
thought that a simple fire would make us give
up. How stupid they are!”

The new building will house the educa-
tional centre and headquarters of the Com-
munist Party of Canada and the Young
Communist League.
~»But itis alsova building for the public, con-
tinuing its long tradition of schools and social
science — classes, lectures and seminars —
open to all interested persons.

It will also make available to the public a
19,000-volume library containing one of the
best collections of Marxist, Canadian and
labor history in the country. j

* The building has already become a hive of
activity since it opened its doors just a few
weeks ago. Already the Central Committee
of the Communist Party has met there, local
donors, leading trade unionists and the press

‘have toured the structure. The first series of

Bethune classes has begun as have seminars
on municipal, women’s and trade union is-

“sues.

intering the main door the visitor is greeted by an exp
Minating all three floors of the building make max

imum use of natural lighting.

ansive grey, tiled lobby. Two skylights

saaaabattts LEI

Available to the public is a 10,000-volume library, containing one of the best collection:

of Marxist, Canadian and labor history in the country.

Recessed lighting throughout the buildin i i i i :
t ih g andin the offices gives a diffused warm ligh
~ ee eye strain. Desks, filing cabinets, bookshelves and tables are ali in soli
ght oak. Cream colored Venetian blinds cover the narrow, arched windows.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOV. 13, 1881—Page 7