The Great Debate By LESLIE MORRIS It has taken nearly a century for Canadian public affairs and national consciousness to reach the present point, at which the almost universal subject of discussion is ‘‘Whither Canada?” Socialists who might worry about this way of putting things should ask them- selves what future there could be for soc- ialism in Canada if the very national exist- ence of the country were to remain in doubt. *% * And.in doubt it is. If it were not, there would not be such an abiding concern about our national future. There is no such concern in France where the nation long ago was fully developed, out of great political struggles. One useful way to judge a politcal demand is to identify who is for or against it. In the present political campaign it is the Communists who are raising the slogan, “Put Canada First.” It is the Liberals who are shouting against ‘‘anti-Ameri- canism” and denouncing the statements of those who speak of the domination of Canada by the USA. Were there no public feeling about U.S. domination the Liberals would be quiet on the matter. They would prefer U.S. control to be gained silently and without fuss. * * * So it is the Communists, with no stake in the sell-out of Canada. who talk openly about it; and it is the Liberals, who have long since given up any thought of Canada’s independ- ent development, who want the matter to be hushed up. Of course the debate about ‘Whither Canada?” no longer is confined to the Communists and the Liberals. Everybody is getting into it. : The current nuclear arms controversy arises not only from the supreme world issue of peace or war, it is also hinged on Canadian independence. * * * The Great Debate, now on nuclear weapons, and, inevit- ably later, on what is to happen to our industries and natural resourses, is the best proof that Canada is growing up, is com- ing of age. If there were public silence or indifference, which the Liberals prefer, that would indicate an absence of concern about the fate of the country. When that happens a country is finished. * * * Instead of silence and indifference, there is growing con- cern; instead of sheep-like submission the typical French Can- adian and English Canadian is “ornery” and refuses to keep his mouth shut. Max Frankel of the New York Times wrote the other day that when Canadians holler they holler loud. That is right. They did so against paying money for British warships in 1911; they did it again in the first world war against con- scription; and they did it yet again in the second world war against all-out conscription. * * * Now the causes of such outburst and their frequency have multiplied many times. This is not an expression of narrow na ing of national superiority, as some people say. to be treated as equals, directed at those who treat C ians as inferiors. Unless countries are treated as equals, they cannot operate freely with others. * * * tionalism, or feel- It is a demand anad- Canada is not treated as an equal by the USA. And we shall not get equal treatment or cease to be militarily and ec- Onomically expendable in the interests of wealthy Amer- icans until there is a lot more hollering, and eventually gov- ernment and state action to establish independence. * * Sabsce | This election, deplored and bemoaned by those who have made a lot of money out of selling Canada short, is a sign that we are growing up. : If a majority of M.P.’s pledged to refuse U.S. nuclear wea- Poins are elected on April 8, Canada will have shot up an- other foot. . SPECIAL ELECTION OFFER | $1 for 3 months Use the Pacific Tribune during the election carne: Every readerwon means a new fighter for peace an Canadian independence. ADDRESS 42 2 es oS PACIFIC TRIBUNE 426 Main St _ Vancouver, B.C. (Offer expires April 8, 1963) BUT CANADA ABSENT Leipzig trade fair big business for east, west By MAX REICH PT Correspondent The Leipzig spring trade fair— March 3 to 12—comes at a cru- cial time for the development of world trade. It follows the collapse of the application for entry into the Brussels talks, where Britain’s application for entry into the European Common Market re- ceived the death blow. Misled by false hopes of “‘eco- nomic integration’’ and finding itself in a blind alley, Britain, more than any other country finds itself in need of weaving anew the broken threads and starting a process of re-thinking—and with Britain, the other Commonwealth countries. There is no better place to conduct the clarifying discussions and draw practical conclusions than Leipzig. WHY LEIPZIG? Is the German Democratic Re- public such an important trading partner for the capitalist world?? One should not underestimate trade with the GDR, a swiftly-de- veloping industrial country, one of the top 10 industrial nations of the world. In 1962, its trade with capitalist countries was over $500 million. But the importance of Leipzig goes far beyond the business deals that can be picked up with the GDR at the fair. Its impor- tance is that tens of thousands of business people from almost every country in the world — socialist, capitalist, newly-inde- pendent, underdeveloped — meet to transact business deals far exceeding the deals transacted View of the Leipzig fair, 1961 between these people and the GDR. FOR CANADA What is there in Leipzig for Canadian trade, not only with so- cialist countries, but with the GDR itself? I went with this question to the ministry of foreign trade and spoke to the head of the depart- ment for trade with capitalist countries. They are interested in trade with Canada and there is a market for Canadian goods. For instance, in 1962, the GDR’s import of agricultural pro- ducts from capitalist countries, amounted to $250 million marks. Here, as in other fields, Canada could compete. But not even the pre-conditions for trade between Canada and the GDR have been met so far. While there is hardly another im- portant country that doesn’t have ‘a trade agreement with the GDR, between our two countries there is none. There has been no study of market possibilities. What little trade exists is either spontane- ous, or through third parties. No market for Canadian goods will spring out of spontaneity. NEW ASPECT There is a new aspect to this year’s Leipzig fair. Leipzig will be the place where the position in peaceful competi- tion of the socialist and capital- ist worlds will be gauged in a variety of products showing the level of scientific and technolo- gical development of the two sys- tems. To aid in the comparison there will be a number of symposiums on problems and the latest ad- vances in science and technique, with leading experts from the socialist countries participating. From every point of view — business with the GDR or other socialist countries, with capital- ist countries, the many Latin American, Asian and African countries, establishing contacts, exchanging and gathering infor- mation — Leipzig in the spring of 1963 will be a unique and worthwhile experience. MINE MILL UNION ANSWERS SUN’— IF YOU WANT VOTE, TRY SUDBURY’ Harvey’ Murphy, Western District President of Mine Mill, recently wrote a letter to the Vancouver Sun, in which he answered that pap- er’s posed editorial question: “Why No Vote at Craig- mont?” The Sun printed a portion of Murphy’s letter, but omitted some pertinent sections; these are reproduc- ed below. e “The decision to accept these terms (at Craigmont Mines) was made by the men and I believe this should be pointed out in all fairness. “At the hearing before the Labor Relations Board on Feb. 12, workers from the property gave this evidence under oath and were unchal- lenged by those that repre- sented themselves as the “dis- sident workers” or by the Steelworkers who wee rep- resented by prominent Van- couver lawyers . - - “Steel didn’t make an ap- plication for certification so it wasn’t a question before the Board to decide on what union would represent the workers . . - “During the past year the company has not acted in good faith. We have had three arbitration cases involving many men and at the present time we are in the Supreme Court with regard to the en- forcement of the provisions of the Hours of Work under the Metalliferous Mines Regula- tion Act which this company, in our opinion, is violating and which itself has caused considerable discontent, but why blame the union when it is the employer? HARVEY MURPHY “This company, despite its promises, has done damned little about housing and rents are sky high in the town of Merritt, with speculators tak- ing full advantage of the fact that several hundred mine workers have had to seek accommodation. “The people of Merritt are being wronged by this com- pany, whose operations are located eight miles from the town, but the people who work there have had to settle in the town of Merritt and the taxes have shot up. Con- sequently the coming of Steel into that mining town has just served to divide the workers and taken the heat off the company. “Eight new open pit mines have been opened up in this _- western district in the past two years. There is a verit- able revolution in the mining industry. In the last ten years employment in the mining in- dustry has declined by 55%, despite the increase in pro- . duction and profit. Internal dissension makes it difficult for a union to function and especially under the condi- tions prevailing in these new-- ly opened mines. “In Sudbury, which you mention as a Steel victory, the facts are that a vote con- ducted there showed 15 more votes cast than there were voters, but nevertheless, Steel was certified by those 15 votes and the subsequent vote for the election of officers, conducted by the Ontario La- bor Relations Board, showed that those officers who fav- ored Steel were defeated by over 1,000 votes. “There is a place where a vote should be held .. . for over a year the workers have been working without any agreement whatsoever — for the first time in 20 years.” DRUG PRICES The federal government’s restrictive trade practises commission has called for an end on patents for drugs, argues its the only way to reduce drug prices in Canada. March 8, 1963—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 7