aN OE OY ne Te ted Sere eS

ai SD al

the White Paper on Defence, and other
Major elements of the Tory agenda, there
have been serious inconsistencies in posi-
tions taken by that party, such as support
for the Meech Lake Accord.

_ Ed Broadbent’s statements about enter-
taining a coalition government with the
Tories indicate the party leadership at least
Is unclear about the nature of neo-
conservatism and the basic issue in this
election — that the Tories and their agenda
must go, to be replaced by a new govern-
Ment with new policies for Canadian inde-
pendence, social justice and peace.

A second-place showing for the NDP
and a Tory majority government is not a
Sufficient consolation prize, given the
Serious stakes in this election. The failure to
advance a full alternative acceptable to
labour is related to a strong tendency in the
NDP leadership against mobilizing the
labour and democratic movements in this
country for fear of creating unrealizable
€xpectations by labour and reducing the
flexibility for the NDP leadership to shift
dolicy ground to attract non-working class
/Otes.

Such attempts to take trade union sup-
dort for granted, and attempts at hegemony
Wer labour and the peoples’ movements,
larrow the fight against neo-conservatism,

and will ultimately lead to failure in the
electoral arena.
_ Inconsistencies in policy, and weaknesses
In helping to mobilize labour demonstrate a
failure on the part of the NDP leadership to
understand and come to grips with the tre-
Mendous tasks facing labour and the people
(much less the next government) in Canada.
These shortcomings in policy and strategy

Could result in propping up the Tories.

and/or pushing the reform, anti-Tor¥ vote
to the Liberals.

Communists simply cannot merge them-
Selves into such a very narrow electoral pro-
cess. This is why the Communist Party has
declined to confine itself to putting its more
limited resources behind the NDP. Com-
Munists are participating in this election to
Sharpen the focus and attack on the Tories
as the pro-U.S., anti-Canadian, anti-people
Party, and to expose the roots of neo-
Conservatism which will linger beyond the
Next election.

We are participating in this election to
make a specific contribution to an alterna-
live program and strategy to guarantee
Canadian independence. And Communists
are participating in this election to build a
base for the long term future of the working
Class and democratic movements, the
Strength of which will ultimately determine
the unity of the working class and the fate of
the struggle against neo-conservatism.

It is our belief that our participation will
Contribute to the election of a majority of
MPs capable of reversing the neo-
Conservative sell-out of Canada.

What do you mean
by “critical support”
for the New Demo-
cratic Party?

thre Maimoney

We are not indif-
ferent to the out-
come of this coming
election, and are
realistic as to our
own electoral chan-
ces. The’ Commu-
nist Party has there-
fore evolved a policy of “critical” support
for the NDP, which must be seen in the
context of electing a majority of MPs com-
mitted to reversing the sellout of Canada
and the neo-conservative agenda.

The NDP — because it enjoys mass
support from the trade unions, and peoples’
organizations has many sound policies, and
is not financially beholden to big business —
is the best alternative with a chance to form
government at this time. We therefore
recommend that where Communists are
not running, our members and supporters
cast their ballots for the NDP.

This does not mean a blank cheque for
the NDP, or that Communists will be
abandoning the electoral field in favour of
the NDP, or that Communists will be cam-
paigning for the NDP.

Rather, it means that Communists will be
fighting hard to get every single vote for our

candidates and for real change in *idings
where we are running.

In all areas, we will struggle to get our
special message out — “the Tories must
go,” and be replaced by “a new government
with new policies for survival, sovereignty
and social justice,” backed up by a power-
ful, united peoples’ movement.

That is a big task requiring a big effort on
the part of our membership. We will be
nominating more than 50 candidates from
Atlantic to Pacific, in French and English
Canada. Our campaign committees are
already working. The first election mailing
and appeal for funds is out, and our plat-
form is ready. Election readiness seminars
have been held in major centres of the coun-
try. Party members active in mass move-
ments of the people are considering ways to
deepen the debate and to ensure the Tories’
defeat while getting the best possible out-
come of this election.

The “best possible
outcome” in this elec-
tion would be the
election of an NDP
government. By run-
ning in this cam-
paign, doesn’t the
party risk knocking off NDP candidates?

The answer to
this question cannot
be separated from
the previous ques-
tions. The Commu-
nist Party has selec-
ted its constituencies
carefully with its
election tactic in mind. This has been
difficult, because in many solid working
class constituencies where the Communist
Party has a strong organizational base, the
NDP has the best chances of election, and it
is precisely in these ridings that Commu-
nists will eventually be making electoral
breakthroughs.

‘A vote for the
Communist party
is a vote for a
new direction for
Canada.’

Nevertheless, Communists, despite fun-
damental differences with the NDP leader-
ship, as well as short-term differences over
policy and tactics, has kept in mind the
overriding need to unite the working class in
order to maximize the focus against the
Tories.

If there are cases where individual NDP
candidates ar defeated, responsibility for
such an eventuality cannot rest on the
Communist Party. Communists will be
doing everything in their power to shift
working class and popular opinion to the
left, both where Communists are running
and where we are not.

What will you say
to voters who may
feel that a vote for
the Communist can-
didate is a wasted
vote?

The only wasted
vote is a vote for the
continued sell-out of
Canada, and against
the interests of the
Canadian people. A
vote for the Com-
munist Party is a
vote is a vote for a new direction for Canada
in the struggle for world peace, for the
environment, for independence, and for
social justice.

It is a committed vote, a barometer for
the future government of Canada, and for
all political forces. The stronger that vote,
the stronger the forces for real change will
be. Sooner or later, Communists, as proven
champions of the working class and people,
will be back in Parliament. A vote for the
Communist candidate makes that day
sooner rather than later.

BETTY GRIFFIN
North Vancouver

GARY SWANN ERNIE KNOTT
Comox-Alberni

Saanich-Gulf Islands

DEBORAH MacDON
Nanaimo

ALD

"NICK CHERNOFF VAL CAREY
North Island-Powell River

Kamloops

Pacific Tribune, October 17, 1988 » 7