C. McRUER, former Chief
J eJustice of the Ontario High

Court and a member of the
Ontario Law Reform Commis-
sien has been engaged in the
last few years as head of Ontar-
io’s Royal Commission on Hu-
man kights.

Speaking to a meeting of the
American Bar Association held
in Montreal last week, he deliv-
ered what could be described as
a philosophical prelude to the

report which he has yet to pre- ©

sent to the government.

Participating in discussion of
the topic, “Current decline in
respect for law and order — is

there a remedy?” McRuer chal- -
lenged any suggestion that the -
average man today has less -

respect for the law than his

A A philosophical prelude

predecessor.

“I am not prepared to admit
there is decline in respect for
law,” he said. “If there is a
decline in respect for laws, legis-
lators, lawyers and judges have
failed to develop just laws and
just procedures appropriate to
the social changes brought about
by the scientific developments
of this century.”

“Unjust laws we have in abun-
dance;” he continued, “some a

legacy of other days when stan- |
_ dards of justice were different

than they are today; others forc-
ed on us by impatient legislators
who are more concerned with
rules than justice.”

McRuer referred to the grow-
ing consideration for. social
justice stating, “During the last

50 years undoubtedly there has
been a growing discontent with
certain laws and customs and
never before have the people on
this continent and other conti-
nents been more alert to injus-
tice than they are today.”

He added, “It may well be
that what is interpreted as dis-
respect for law, in fact may only
be the manifestation of-a burn-
ing desire for justice.”

Warning that incompetency
of legislators and court officials
cannot be tolerated in this per-
iod he said, “We have moved
into a new era where public
opinion will not tolerate hypoc-
risy.”

McRuer went on to say that

a law which should really be a,

reflection of justice, often is not

and it is in this context that one
must examine disrespect for
laws.

“What is it that we call disre-

spect for law? Is it a disrespect

for law or a disrespect for laws?
Is it a disrespect for law or a
frustrated craving for justice?
Is it disrespect or disillusion-
ment that has developed into a
sort of rebellion?

“Order, like law, to be respect-
ed must deserve respect. Disre-
spect for an order that does not
deserve respect ought not to be
condemned as degeneration but
commended as healthy regener-
ation.

“What I am concerned with
is that lawyers and judges too
often regard ‘order’ as a shield

ae eta

Unjust laws in abundance

for the protection of privilege
through laws that have prevail:

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ed in another society and pro |
cedures that are incompatible”

with modern-day living.”

In Ontario there were many |

groups that appeared before Mr.
McRuer _ including representa:
tives of the trade union move
ment, and the Communist Patty |
which brought ample evidencé
of laws which are a “shield for
the protection of privileges.”

McRuer’s contribution to A
American Bar Association meet

|

ing it is hoped indicates tet ;

when he produces his report 10
the Ontario government
will be as forthright in relation |
to the concrete laws of this pl
vince as he has been in

<Pabar-

Tobacco workers protest
and you would too!

UGUST in the tobacco fields
of Ontario has become for
many years the scene of

tragedy and strife.

From far and near thousands
of workers come for the harvest,
eventually totalling close to
25,000.

They begin arriving before the
tobacco is ready for harvest.
And who can tell to the day
when the harvest begins.

Most of them come with little
money, expecting to get work
and make a stake.
majority are young. :

After many years in which the
workers who came had no place

’ to stay until they got their job,

and no means to sustain them-
selves, action was taken.

Financed by the federal and
provincial governments and local
welfare departments a camp is
operated to provide food and
shelter for tobacco workers be-
fore they get jobs harvesting.

Part of the cost is paid by to-
bacco farmers, each of whom is
assessed $5 anually toward the
operation of the camp.

Between them, all these agen-
cies have managed to provide a
camp in which the workers. are
given two sandwiches and coffee
twice daily. A large circus tent
with a canvas floor serves for
sleeping. There are no provisions
for heating in the camp.

- It is therefore not really sur-
prising that the men complain-
ed.

When 250 of them marched
into Delhi to voice their griev-
ances they were met by town
and provincial police armed with
shotguns. The Riot Act was
read. Nine were arrested on
charges of causing a disturb-
ance and unlawful assembly.

The good people of Delhi, who
know of the great benevolence

The great,

that is involved in this camp
rose up in righteous indignation
and said that it was “rabble-
rousers” inciting the usually
peaceful tobacco workers.

“They were just mad, just mad
at the world,” one of the pro-
vincial police is quoted as say-
ing. \

It is obviously the basest in-
gratitude that would bring forth
complaints when you have the
munificence of a circus tent and
sandwiches and coffee twice a
day. And as for heat, after all it
is summer!

What a farce to suggest that
it is impossible for the provin-
cial and federal governments,
not to mention the local welfare
agencies, to establish proper

facilities for the tobacco work-

ers.

Delhi authorities have suggest-
ed that more lavish quarters, and

three meals a day would attract --

those looking for a free vaca-

- tion.

So the aim is to make it as
unattractive as possible, make
sure the men are not: starved,
and what you attract are work-
ers desperate for a job in the
harvest and prepared to put up
with anything.

It is sheer poppycock that in
a country where the tobacco
companies are making millions,
where the farmers have been
able to increase their living
standards, to make the transient
workers the victims.

Its a credit to the young
French Canadians who are now
facing charges in the Delhi
court, men whose ages range
between 18 and 23, that they
were not prepared to accept the
slave conditions of the camp.

When they first appeared in

court, represented by a legal aid-

counsel, the young men were re-

August 19,

manded in custody for a week
The problems caused by prejU
dice by any transient worker at
severe enough, but for a French:

the | |

philosophical abstract. ia

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Canadian worker without a jOD

with no money and far fr0
home they are far more serious:
The contemptible idea is beiN®
raised that it is separatists who
are causing the trouble.
charge which they are facing |
carries a maximum penalty °
life imprisonment.

Harry Hunter, Hamilton secre
tary of the Communist Party, to! Id,
the. Tribune that the situatio®
needs action by labor and pe
ple’s organizations,  “The¥
should demand that the Attol |
ney General of Ontario arrange
for a stay in the proceeding?
with the young men release ve
their own recognizance. A t

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rough investigation of the cast

should be conducted before a?Y
trials are held.”

He continued, “There
need for an investigation nt?
the methods used to concentrat
the transient labor force int
the tobacco area. The Ottaw4
government should pay particl
lar attention to the activities
the National Employment S&
vice for this purpose and take
steps to correct abuses.

“The present disgraceful cam?

and feeding arrangements a
cluding financial support shoul
be abolished as totally inad
quate. Proper hostels and W4
stations with supervision 2?
control are required. cant
should be met from the heavy.

iS3

oO

of

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taxes now collected on tobact?

or better still by direct tax °
the great tobacco trusts.”

The whole question of the lif?
and problems of transient ye
~ers in Canada should be en Ole
ed. Why do we go along

a system that allows for the type

of exploitation that the camp in
Delhi highlights?

1966—PACIFIC TRIEUNE ta a

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