QUEBEC TODAY Mass labor political party needed now more than ever By SAM WALSH Quebec workers are more and more exhibiting an unexampled: degree of solidarity and milita&acy in the face of federal and provin- cial repressive laws designed to break their resistance to the at- tacks on their living standards and their democratic rights. At time of writing, efforts are being made to align workers in the private sector, in the first place the construction workers, with their brothers in the public sector who are organized in the Com- mon Front, in ever more united and more powerful resistance. As for Mr. Bourassa, he and his ruling party are thundering that they are ‘‘taking the offensive’’ against the unions who_ have dared to declare that if one union is penalized under Laws 23 or 253 for having defied the strike- prohibition, they may reply witha general strike. The Quebec Federation of Labor is now preparing its mem- bers fora possible 24-hour general strike around mid-May. At the same time they are requesting the Convention of the Canadian Labor Congress which meets in Quebec City starting May 17, to organize concrete actions of soli- darity across the country up to a general strike. If there was ever a time when the Quebec workers needed a mass political party to help to in- spire and mobilize the masses, and to carry the battle onto the political arena, it’s now. The de- mands for the formation of such a party, originally proposed by the Parti Communiste du Québec, 12 years ago, are coming from many sectors of the working class, as well as from certain farmers. However, without prior notice, the QFL in its convention of De- cember 1975, and some_ other spokesmen of the trade union movement, have opted for sup- port, however mitigated and tem- porary, for the Parti Québécois. And what is the inspiration, the mobilizing force that the PQ is providing for the workers at this crucial moment? The PQ voted for Law 253 BEAUFORT SEA OIL DRILLING OPPOSED BY UE The Trudeau Government should not allow Dome Pet- roleum Ltd. of Calgary to pro- ceed with the drilling of two exploratory off-shore oil and natural gas wells in the Beaufort Sea, in Canada’s north, this summer. This view was expressed in a telegram sent April 14 to federal Energy Minister Alastair Gil- lepie by C.S. Jackson, president of the 25,000-member United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers Union (UE), a Cana- dian Labor Congress affiliate. “Environmental damage po- tential is far too great,’’ the union statement said, ‘‘n light |. of the present stage of company technology and the unknown ef- fects of oil spillage in northern waters. ”’ PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MAY 7, 1976—Page 6 which prohibits strike action for 70% of hospital workers. It showed feeble resistance to Law 23 which prohibits teachers from striking until after the school year, but after adoption of the law, their ‘‘mobilizing”’ role was revealed for what it really was — demobilizing. They publicly asked the teachers not to defy this vicious law, in the name of ‘‘so- cial harmony’’. But that’s not all. Rene: Leves- que chose precisely this turbulent moment to grant an interview with La Presse published on April 17, from which the hypocritical, opportunist and electoralist tone oozes from every sentence. These are certainly no words of a ‘‘Savior’’ of the working class. Under a heading ‘*Quiet Matur- ity’’ we find: “‘On the eve of power, the Parti Québécois, in Rene Levesque’s opinion, has reached maturity. ‘‘A maturity where the PQ is obliged, if it wants to take power, to reach a new electoral clientele ... “Of necessity, this démarche forces the party to be less radical and parallelly, to ‘adjust itself’ to its new clientele. “‘Without meaning to be false to oneself (!),”’ affirms Rene Levesque, ‘‘we still have to try to adjust to. society as it is.’ If this isn’t enough to de- monstrate the main orientation of the PQ, think of the meaning of what follows: “The PQ will try to show that it is able to govern better than the Liberals on a provincial basis’’. Nevertheless Mr. Levesque admits that “‘I hear everywhere around me the 1960 slogan in ev- ery imaginable form: ‘It’s time for a change’ ...”’ But the PQ and Levesque have no intention ot changing society in favor of the working people. On the contrary, TRIBUNE PHOTO Quebec workers during the March 22 Ottawa demonstration. he will ‘‘adjust’’ to, society in or- der better to govern it. Even sincere people on the left within the PQ will rally to a genuine mass federated party of the working people, to the great relief of Rene Levesque, who says, because of these people: ‘‘There is a certain uneasiness each time another convention or a National Council meeting mark- ing a turning-point approaches, and I think that this uneasiness is shared by many people in the Daly... May the debate proceed within the labor movement. The Parti Communiste du Québec will have its say in the debate. Neither the Pequistes (PQ), nor the un- scrupulous leftists who have climbed aboard the party of labor idea, nor the opponents of sup- port for any political party will succeed in silencing us. CLC URGES REDOUBLED EFFORT OTTAWA — Ed Johnston, na- tional co-ordinator of the Cana- dian Labor Congress campaign against wage controls, advised trade unions April 15 not to be in- timidated by statements and ac- tions of the so-called Anti-Inflation Board (AIB) and to redouble their efforts in collective bargaining to ensure that they adequately repre- sent their members’ needs — the primary responsibility of the trade union movement. Broad acceptance of the gov- ernment’s anti-inflation program by the trade union movement would only lead to the erosion of the living standards of wage and salary earners whose earnings would be controlled in the face of rising prices, Johnston said. ‘This would be a situation which the vast majority of rank-and-file union members simply would not tolerate.’’ WOMEN IN ACTION NAC meet debates economic crisis — OTTAWA — Continued exploi- tation of women through legisla- tion such as the federal govern- ment’s wage controlling Bill C-73 was a central issue at the confer- ence of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women held here April 24-26. The annual conference in- cluded 200 women from every province and territory, and 80 or- ganizations. The effect of the so-called anti- inflation legislation, the right of women to safe, legal abortions, and the need for governments to more on Social services were all part of the discussion, Nancy McDonald, director of work among women for the Communist Party of Canada, was one of the delegates. She was in- terviewed by the Tribune upon her return. Tribune: What is the nature of the NAC? McDonald: The National Ac- tion Committee, which speaks for over two million women, was formed to push for the implemen- tation of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women. Its membership covers every pro- vince and territory in Canada. There are about 80 women’s and other organizations involved. Tribune: How was _ last weekend’s conference set up, and what were the main areas of dis- cussion? McDonald: The conference had nine workshops — The Economy and Working Women, in which I participated; Fertility, Birth Con- trol and Abortion; Social Service Cutbacks; Native Women and the Bill of Rights; Education; Canada Pension Plan; Image of Women in Media; Nuclear Energy; and Ways and Means (NAC Organi- zation). I raised the question of Bill C-73 (‘‘anti-inflation’’ law), the first time at the panel discussion on Friday night. The panel in- cluded representatives from the office of John Munro (Minister of Labor) and Marc Lalonde (Minis- ter of Health and in charge of the Status of Women). The Minister of Justice, Ronald Basford, came himself. The Liberal representa- tives, including Robert Kaplan, MP, attempted to deny that Bill C-73. froze women’s unequal wage status or that cutbacks in social services hurt women as a group. This was refuted by many people, including myself and Shir- ley Carr, vice-president of the Canadian Labor Congress. The resolution concerning a spend less money .on arms and . women and Bill C-73, that cat out of the workshop on that sul ject, and which I put forwalt says that whereas the possibilll of equal pay for work of eq! value for women has been back by the passage of Bill C? on October 13, 1975 (Inter tional Women’s Year), and hi indeed frozen women’s wot women in their unequal stati! resulting in a widening gap by tween men and women worké therefore be it resolved that 4 National Action Committee on the government to withdr# Bill C-73, and for a serious atta on inflation, pass legislation thi will control prices and profits the multi-national a This motion was carried at | plenary session the next day. | Also discussed was the defem™ budget of Canada, which is gro! ing and being sold to Canadians! a necessary measure, and so services affecting women, whi are being cut. Such social servi include family allowance, 44) care, retraining programs a pensions. A resolution was passed calli on the Canadian government redirect some defence spend } into ‘“‘human services’’, such § those mentioned above. | ‘In the same vein, there was) motion supporting the United Ni tions’ attempt to convene a 4 forum on disarmament and.a to the Canadian government ! : encourage world disarmam@ attempts. Other discussion took ol around the abortion and bill control question. NAC urges! government to remove abort! from the Criminal Code, to set! across Canada consultative © ters for birth control, pre- post-natal information, for ter access and education on P ventative birth control and more concem to be given to j health of women and thé children. There was strong support *) ’ the struggles of Native wom especially concerning the which prohibits an Indian worl! who marries a non-Indian ff) staying on the reserve or retain! her Indian status. é _ The conference officially ognized and gave its suppolt March 8, International Wome! Day, and will campaign to pray ote knowledge about its hea and celebrate it across Canad rf It called on provincial and f eral governments to pass legis! tion facilitating part-time w? ers, most of whom are womel: organize into trade unions.