Hamilton election

Some lessons to draw

By DON STEWART

Unfortunately the recent
vivic elections in Hamilton have
to be regarded as a. temporary
setback for the labor movement.
The real needs of the people
and. the community were snow-
ed under by the Establishment.
They created artificial
issues, such as whether the ca-
pacity of Civic Stadium should
be increased (incidentally, this
mainly for the benefit of the
Hamilton Tiger Cats football
team). The mass media blew this
issue up and were able to duck
the main problems of the peo-
ple. ;

The question of party politics
in municipal elections, advanced
by the New Democratic Party,
was rejected. by the voters. It
obviously created divisions in
the ranks of the workers. In-
cumbent aldermen, members of
the NDP, who did not run on
that party’s ticket maintained
their.vote, while those who did
found their vote smaller than in
the past.

Ald. William Powell, making
his first bid for Board of Con-
trol, lost out to Herman. Turk-
stra, a Liberal lawyer. It would
appear obvious from the Madi-
son Avenue campaign conduct-
ed by Turkstra, plus the amount
of money spent and the fawn-
ing service given him by the
big business media, that he is
slated to be the new “golden
boy” of Hamilton. big business
and industry.

The fact that the NDP ran a
; party ticket candidate for Board

of Control didn’t help Mr. Pow-
ell. Although a member of the
NDP for many years, Powell
disagreed with party politics at
the municipal level. The loss of
labor’s Board of Control seat,
and the loss to Hamilton civic

non-

politics of Bill Powell are seri-
ous blows to the workers and
small businessmen.

The lack: of real working
class unity was felt throughout
the campaign. With unity of the.
trade union movement in Hamil-
ton, Tom Davidson, independent
labor candidate in Ward 5
could have been elected: He ran
third in a field of five, with the
old-line parties capturing th
two seats. ;

Mrs. Susan Hammond, run-
ning as an independent for
Board of Education in a compar-
atively new ward on the Moun-
tain, conducted a very strong
campaign. Her program was
based around changing of the
educational tax structure and
the demand that Board of Edu-
cation be primarily responsible
for leading the fight against use
of drugs in schools. Mrs. Ham-
mond received 2,552 votes, with
3,641 required for election.

The people of Hamilton show-
ed they were not fooled by big
business when they gave 7,853
votes to Board. of Control can-
didate Don Stewart, the Hamil-
ton City Organizer of the Com-
munist Party of Canada.

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For the right to work

The scourge of unemployment in
Canada has already blasted the lives
of more than half a million workers
and their families. It threatens the
lives and jobs of those still working,
as the statisticians warn that there
will be more than 800,000 out of work
this winter. It is corroding to despera-
tion the hopes of the young.

In the cold misery of hopelessness,
shuffling lines of the hungry jobless
grow outside welfare offices and mis-
sion halls.

The unemployed stand as the indict-
ment of capitalism.

The government policy. of “restrain-
ing the economy” threatens to make
today’s youth in Canada a “lost gener-
ation.”

Almost half of all the unemployed
are under 24 years of age. And tens
of thousands more young people will
in the next few months leave schools

and universities only to find themselves ©

in a labor market that has no place for
them—no jobs, no future. :
That’s what monopoly wants—more
workers seeking jobs in an economy
deliberately slowed down so that it can
drive down wages and make more pro-
fits. Through government spokesmen
like Labor Minister Mackasey it at-

tempts to establish the inhuman idea

that “full employment” should mean
four to five percent of the working
force permanently without jobs.

The extent of layoffs is in large
measure attributable to the cut-down
policies of U.S.-controlled companies
in Canada. The Trudeau government
has given them every encouragement
as it moves increasingly to sell out our
jobs along with our country’s natural
resources to the United States by its
continentalist policies.

The situation calls for greater trade
union responsibility in the struggle for
jobs and against the Trudeau govern-
ment’s calculated policy of creating
mass unemployment.

Delegates to ‘the Canadian Labor
Congress convention last May firmly
established organized labor’s responsi-
bility for helping the unemployed to
organize.

The B.C. Federation of Labor has
set an example in this direction. It
plans to have an unemployment co-
ordinator on its staff. He’ll have the
task of co-ordinating the activities of
local labor councils For setting up un-
employment committees and for mobil-
izing unemployed demonstrations. Such
actions are what the CLC, the CNTU,
the provincial federations of labor and
every labor council should hasten to
implement. This would be in direct line
with CLC and CNTU programs for
social action. —

But more is needed.

The trade union movement, not for
one second losing sight of the grim
prospect that the government’s policies
menace all workers with joblessness on
a scale not seen since the depression of
the ‘30’s, has an additional responsi-
bility. In its own name, and in accord-
ance with its own programs for jobs,
to undertake mass, united actions to
pressure federal and provincial gov-
ernments to introduce urgently needed
programs to provide work.

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The fight for jobs depends essential
ly on united actions today by organizeey
labor. 7

Cuba — si! Chile — si!

“Twelve years ago, on January 1, the)
first socialist state in the Wester
Hemisphere was established in Cuba—|
and for twelve difficult years it has not)
only survived but made great advances:

In 1970 Chile took its stand beside)
Cuba, electing a president and goverl’
ment of the Popular Front, led by thé
Left forces — socialists, communists)
democrats — which has launched that)
Latin American country on the roa@
toward socialism. . j

As 1971 approached, Cuba was a

brating significant economic and socia
gains, even though adverse climatit
conditions prevented the full success 0!)
the cane sugar harvest.

As 1970 drew. to a close, Chile legis
lated for the nationalization of the
great U.S. copper monopolies in the)
country, decreed the freezing of prices
and reduced the salaries of top gover™
ment officials.

- We greet Cuba with its achievemen

on this anniversary, and Chile on’ its)
grand beginning. They set an examp
not only to other Latin America
countries, but to us as well.

Cuba—si! Chile—si!

Stop arms for racists

The interests of Canada do not lie i

support of the British government’

intended sale of arms -to aparthel
South Africa. To the contrary. ;
The announcement by Prime Minis}
ter Trudeau that he has “an opel
mind” on the matter of supply,
modern weapons of destruction to th
racist government that tortures, mul

ders and violently oppresses the black)

people comes as a shock to Canadians.

Trudeau goes next month as the rep”)
resentative of Canada to the confer
ence of Commonwealth prime ministers
in Singapore. He should take to it the)
firm opposition of Canadians to any)
attempt by British imperialism to aid |
the inhuman apartheid government of
South Africa’s white rulers.

Instead, Trudeau declares he is ready]
to be persuaded that our country’s de
clared position of opposition to arms)
sales to South Africa is wrong.
mocks the very meaning of courag®

poe

when he states, “I hope I would havé)

the courage to correct (that position).

He is moving to betray the interests)

of the Canadian people to the plans of
British and U.S. imperialism. oe

No sooner had British Prime Minjs-
ter Heath concluded his talks last week

with Mr. Trudeau than he hurried 0}
Washington to announce that the Tory)
government of Britain endorses Nix;|
on’s threat.to resume the bombing 0 |

North Vietnam.
There is time for Canadians

his connivance with Nixon and Heath

to step up imperialism’s aggressions |

against the peoples of Southeast Asi#
and of Africa.
“No arms to the South African rac

ists!” must be the demand to Trudeal |
now. Ace

SONS IO 29

to lety
our prime minister know, before be}
goes to Singapore, that they denounce |

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