CANADA Saskatchewan’s Conservative government has been compared to that of B.C.’s Socreds in the wake of a sweeping “‘restraint’’ program announced by provincial Finance Minister Bob Andrew, January 14. Unions and other groups are preparing to fight the plan, and the Regina-based People’s Budget Coalition has announced plans for a rally against cutbacks and unemployment during the First Ministers Conference on the economy, to be held here Feb. 14-15. Citing the province’s growing deficit as the reason, Andrew says funding for most government departments will be frozen for the 1985-86 fiscal year, beginning April 1. The government also intends to freeze pay levels for provincial employees, after two years of 4-5 per cent restraints, and to give no increases to municipal govern- ments, school boards, hospitals or universities. Andrew blames a variety of factors — such as the decline in farm income, and lower than expected income tax revenue from the federal government, for the growth of the deficit. Originally projected to be $267 million for 1984-85, it is now expected to hit $400 million. But the labor movement in particular has called the freeze a “shocking admission of failure’, and pointed out that the money being ‘“‘saved”’ is far exceeded by the amount of giveaways to business interests. Labor Urges ‘Another Look’ Saskatchewan Federation of Labor president Nadine Hunt called on the government to ‘“‘take another look at this ill-conceived wage freeze plan, and take positive action to get Saskatchewan’s economy moving.”’ Point- ing out that workers have been the target of wage re- straints since the Devine government took office, Hunt said ‘cutting back even further on the purchasing power of.workers when farmers don’t have money to spend is a From Regina Kimball Cariou recipe for economic disaster in Saskatchewan’’. Describing Andrew’s proposals as ‘‘a starvation diet for an anorexic’’, the Saskatchewan Government Em- ployees Union denied Tory claims about lack of funds. “This government has decided to spend money on sub- sidies to business’’, said SGEU, noting the $150 million ‘royalty holidays’ for oil and mineral companies, and $47 million in grants to business for ineffective job creation programs. “‘B.C.’s experiences with mindless restraint have proved that a government can strangle the econ- omy to the point where all citizens suffer,’’ said SGEU. Both SGEU and CUPE predict further job cuts in provincial employment. A statement by Saskatchewan CUPE president Melanie Medlicott blasted Tory claims about the province’s economic progress, noting that there is a decline in full-time employment, and 4 rise in numbers of people relying on social assistance, and in bankruptcies. Other unions representing government employees, such as Retail-Wholesale and the Office and Professional Employees, also reacted angrily to the government’s proposals. Education at all levels will be hit hard by the freeze, Devine budget copies Socreds’ program according to spokespersons for teachers, school trustees and students. More closures of small community schools, reductions in teaching staff, and cuts in services and equipment were predicted by Mel Lofstrom, general _ Secretary of the 11,500 member Saskatchewan Teachers Federation. The president of the Saskatchewan School Trustees Association, Bob Mann, said cutbacks have already taken place ‘“‘but you can only cut to a certain point’. Many school boards will have to resort to tax increases, he said. University Cuts Proposed Students, faculty and staff at the University of Regina had already been shocked by cutbacks proposed by the university administration based on an expected 2 per cent increase in funding, before the freeze announce- ment. One idea floated by the administration calls for the campus to shut down for two weeks in 1985, either at one stretch or for several shorter periods. Other unpopular suggestions include further tuition increases (fees have already risen 19.6 per cent over the last eight months); and cuts in arts, music, athletics and extension prog- rams. U of R Student Union president Lori Latta called the proposals ‘‘a crime against Saskatchewan’s youth’’, and said her organization will be organizing seminars on the effects of the budget. Students are among many sectors of the population expected on hand when Prime Minister Mulroney and the premiers gather at Regina’s Centre of the Arts on Valentine’s Day. A demonstration beginning at noon will appropriately blast the mainly right-wing first ministers for their heartless attitudes; protesters will demand full employment, maintenance of universality of social prog- rams, and a government effort to meet the needs of Canadian working people. 7 UOLEREAUEEDCAEAEEAAEEAU EEA CEA TEAR TEETH EAHA EAE EE PAOD EDO DAE OOEAUOOU VG AUEUUOOUEOOUOOUOOOUOOUUOOUOOOUOOOUOOUOGOOUEOUUOOUOOOUEGQOOUUOGUUEGOOOUUEOUUGOUUOUUOOUOOODOOOUOOODOOHAUOLOGUUEUNL “‘only”’ a research program. being given to the U.S. Star Wars 4 No. U. S. Robert Coates, MinisterofNa- program by the Mulroney tional Defence also gives us government ties Canada and her policy for Canada, “‘assurances’’ regarding the U.S. people to the U.S. militarization . The Second World ‘‘assurances’’. : ode Roe Sen eo0P ee It is not too late to stop this step Condemning the Mulroney government’s backing of Rea- gan’s Star Wars program and call- ing for an independent foreign pol- icy, the Central Executive of the Communist Party, Jan..22 urged mass public action to regain Canada’s sovereignty. The CPC press statement argues: clear or any other: kind of weap- ons. Canada must be declared a nuclear weapons-free zone. The Government must state clearly and unequivocally that Canada ‘will not tolerate weapons on its territory. The Communist Party of Canada welcomes the condemna- tion of the U.S. Star Wars prog- ram by the NDP and Liberal MPs in Parliament. © What Canada sorely needs at this time of peril is not a U.S. foreign policy but a truly inde- pendent Canadian foreign policy of: peace. Canadian people. trol impossible. What a crude attack on Cana- Canada’s membership in da’s sovereignty! NATO and NORAD ties Canada From a nuclear weapons-free hand and foot to this dangerous country, Canada will be catapult- Gourse of U.S. policy, to its Star ‘twe now have peace in our ed into a nuclear war zone. Wars program, its arms race, to time.” : 2S Canadians have cause for con- Cruise missile testing and its mili- Shortly after, Hitler fascism in- cern regarding these tarization program. Canadians may recall British Prime Minister Chamberlain returning from Munich waving a piece of paper with the assurance: administration placing nuclear of space and the danger of war independent War began. The U.S. Government will re- to disaster. Canadians should demand that the Government and Parliament repudiate the Government’s sup- A People’s Majority outside Par- liament to counter the Tory major- ity inside Parliament is essential to achieve such an objective and win a depth bombs. on ‘Canadian ‘soil, from space. It is°not a research: over the heads of the Government program but a war program. It is (assuming it didn’t know), and notastep to negotiations for arms : = policy of External Affairs Minister Clark spect them.in the same way it re- has also given Canadians _ spects the decisions of the World ‘“‘assurances’’. We have nothing Court of Justice. Canadians are peace _ gram initiated by the Reagan way street to disaster. port of the Star Wars program. truly independent Canadian for- Administration, he says. It is The “‘Conditional’”” support Outer space must be free of nu- eign policy. HUUUUELUOEOUEEEAOEGAUEORLEEEAOEA EEA ERE TEE AEA OO DOGO OO GOOG OUONEODUOUAOUEOOUEGOOUEOOGEOUUOGOUNEOOUOEOUREGOUNOQUNOQUEOOUUOEOUEQOUUNUOUUOOOUNUOUUOOUOGEOUEOOUUEOOTL certainly over the heads of the control but makes such arms con- to fear about the Star Wars pro- being taken for a ride on a one- ~ CP condemns Tory attack on Manitoba Special to the Tribune The Manitoba Committee of the Communist Party added its voice to the demand that the Prime Minister im- mediately reinstate $72-million in equalization payments to the province. A telegram which called on Mulroney to visit Manitoba and ‘‘meet face to face’’ with Manitobans who oppose the deliberate and unjustifiable decision by the Federal Tories to ‘‘try and make Manitoba a second class citizen within the federal system’’ was sent at the end of a two-day committee meeting. Charging that the Federal Tories have singled out Manitoba for special attack that is being orchestrated between Ot- tawa and the Provincial Tories, the Man- itoba CP called on the Pawley govern- ment to widen the scope of the fightback on equalization payments. This would include involving at all levels the trade union, women’s, native, youth, peace and unemployed movements and includ- ing them as representatives on any dele- gations to Ottawa, the CP said. Mulroney claims the transfer cuts are merely instituting a negotiated agree- ment reached with Manitoba by the pre- vious Liberal government. Pawley charges that no concensus had ever been agreed to and is unwilling to accept such massive funding restrictions. Political observers estimate that the Federal Tory move is part of an ongoing campaign to unseat Manitoba’s NDP government in the next election. In addi- tion to cutting the equalization payments which are earmarked for education, health and other social programs, Mul- roney has closed two federal research stations at Churchill and Gimbly, and $23-million manufacturing and _tech- nology station scheduled for Winnipeg has been cancelled. Credence was lent to the theory when _ Finance Minister Wilson left his notes behind after a visit to Winnipeg in De- cember. They contained references in- dicating Ottawa was unwilling to make any concessions to Manitoba. Provincial Tory leader Gary Filmon has been taking advantage of the bad blood between the Federal Tories and provincial NDP and Mulroney has fueled his efforts. The Prime Minister refused to meet with Pawley to discuss the issue but gave Filmon an immediate audience. “Despite their seeming concern, the provincial Tories actually care little for the welfare of working Manitobans and are maneuvering solely to satisfy their electoral desires. In this they are getting 110 percent support and encouragement from the Prime Minister who is playing the crassest form of partisan politics with the jobs and livelihood of Manito- bans at stake,’ said CP leader Paula Fletcher. At its meeting the Manitoba commit- tee also passed resolutions protesting the second round of Cruise missile testing, the U.S. plans to militarize outer space and the possible deployment of nuclear weapons on Canadian soil. . Another resolution called for. the dropping of all charges against Dr. Henry Morgentaler and his associates and al- lowing the Moregentaler Clinic in Win- nipeg to re-open without recriminations. The committee also voted to support the Eaton’s boycott until the strike against the giant department store chain is won in southern Ontario. And a final resolution trounced Winnipeg School Division No. 1 trustees for voting them- selves a 63.5 percent increase in hon- oraria, bringing their total increases since 1981 to 122 percent. a eaten pene Stine