Young Communists map campaigns new conditions at meeting situation of growing ‘struggle - analyze TORONTO — Coming from major centres in Canada, mem- bers of the Young Communist League Central Council met re- cently in Toronto to analyze the new conditions of youth’s strug- _gle and map out campaigns of the YCL. The report exposed mono- pgly’s offensive against the liv- ing standards of the working people: “The monopolies use every means possible to main- tain their positions at the ex- pense of the working people. How? Through cutbacks in edu- cation, health and social serv- ices, through high unemploy- ment, rising prices, and lower- ing the standard of living. The new ‘anti-inflation program’ was created to aid the attack. This offensive hits all sections of youth — young workers, stu- dents, farm youth, immigrant youth, young women. “Trudeau was defending mo- nopoly’s position in his recent call to the Canadian people to lower their sights and be happy with what they’ve got and live within their means. Young peo- ple have little to be happy about.” Growing Unemployment: Fifty per cent of the unem- ployed are young people under 24 years of age. “The govern- ment. has put $140-million this year into programs such us LIP (Local Initiatives Program), OFY (Opportunities For Youth) and LEAP, (Local Employment As- sistance Program). Such _pro- grams take responsibility off the government for providing the necessary social services such as day care, community improve- ment, drama groups etc., and place it on the shoulders of young people to work at low pay and in poor working condi- tions. “However, while these pro- grams may have created some work, mostly temporary, they don’t come anywhere near solv- ing the unemployment problem. They don’t resolve the basic eco- nomic problems of. unemploy-. ment which require new econo- mic policies — nationalization _ of Canada’s resources, develop- ment of secondary industry, a massive program of. housing _ construction, shorter work week Eat and higher wages to increase the standard of living.” Barriers to Education: “Students are adversely af- _ fected by the economic crisis in _ three main ways: 1) finding a job to save money for school; _ those finding jobs are often low paid. 2) trying to meet the in- creased cost ,of books, tuition, food, lodging and 3) encounter- _ ing the high unemployment upon graduation - Further, ‘cutbacks in education aggravate the problems, especi- ally for new immigrant students who increasingly find them- selves in “streaming” programs because of the cutbacks. “The primary and secondary _ levels of education is where the class bias of the education sys- tem starts. Here too cutbacks are making it increasingly diffi- cult for working class children - to advance. Streaming in the schools continues, especially for immigrant children. The special programs needed for them such as English classes is an additio- nal area slashed by cutbacks. GE DISCRIMINATI AGAINST YOUTH - FIGHT TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE! -DEMANDFULL ws _ EMPLOYMENT? YOUNG WORKER A major campaign of the Young Communist League over the past year has been against the wage differential which allows employers to pay workers under 18 less than the regular minimum wage. “In Toronto high schools the annual drop-out rate is 25%. Of the students who enter grade 9 only 20% get grade 13 diploma. Inequality of Women: “Monopoly has celebrated In- ternational Women’s Year with increased exploitation of women —the wage gap between women and men continues to grow and discrimination on all levels of life continues. “Together with the demand for equal pay for work of equal value, day-care has become an explosive issue right across Canada. Brainwashing and Violence: “Now, no longer able to paper over the cracks, commercial cul- ture deluges us with an endless Output of cynical, anti-human, fatalistic viewpoints. Pornog- raphy, violence and amorality are used to turn youth’s insecur- ity about its future into abject despair. By trying to numb young people’s sensibilities, this cultural onslaught is preparing young people for apathy at best, for fascism if the process is left to continue to extremes.” » The YCL’s Central Council noted the estimation by_ the Communist Party of the higher level of fight-back of the work- ing. people against monopoly at- tack: new sections of workers are included in the strike move- ment, there is a growing levet of demands and a tendency to merge economic and _ political struggle. The upsurge of strike action has placed Canada sec- ond only to Italy in time lost due to strikes. The monopoly Offensive against the standard of living PACIFIC TRIBUNE—DECEMBER 5, 1975—Page 6 and political rights of the work- ing people hits all sections of the youth and _ increasingly, they are drawn into struggles in defence of their rights. All this emphasizes the need to struggle for a Bill of Rights for youth to give a democratic alternative to youth in the pre- sent conditions. The meeting advanced five basic rights for stepped-up campaign by the YCLE e The right and guarantee of a job. e The right to free quality education and training. e The right to creative leisure and sports and cultural develop- ment. e The democratic right of equality and participation in de- cision making. e The right to live in a world of peace and security. Singling out the fight for jobs as the major task facing the YCL at this time, the YCL noted that, “We will not win youth to struggle only on general. con- cepts of youth rights, nor can we fight on specific demands without making it link with the overall anti-monopoly strug- gle and the socialist perspective. “We have the answers to full employment — new economic policies, stop the sell-out, build 400,000 new homes, increase wages, shorten the work week, etc’ The YCL will continue to cam- paign for jobs for youth, organ- izing lobby, leaflets, letters peti- tions, and by other actions, the Central Council meeting assert- ed. The fight for jobs and peace are closely linked in the present against. the economic crisis of monopoly capitalism and the growing economic and political crisis of imperialism. The YCL warned against attempts to use economic instability to. try to shift politics to the right: “Last summer, the federal cabinet or- dered a senior officer to develop a plan for a National Youth Ser- vice. We expect the government to announce a youth corps some- time next year, and must watch closely to guard against its be- ing the creation of a para-mili- tary organization or a cheap labor plan such as R. B. Ben- nett’s labor camps of the 30s.” Minimum Wage: The YCL notes that in periods of high unemployment, employ- ers have an easier time taking advantage of the discriminatory minimum wage laws which al- low them to pay under 18-year- olds less than the regular mi- nimum in some provinces. The YCL campaign to end the wage differential has received a good response, especially from _high school students who are the main ones working for the lower youth minimum wage. . The YCL will step up its cam- paign to abolish minimum wage differentials for youth and to raise the minimum wage. Spe- cial attention will be given to this in the pre-Christmas period and early spring when thous- ands of young people seek part time work or summer jobs. Growth of the YCL Having achieved its one-year recruiting goal and registered a 50% growth, the YCL re-set its goal, but this time for the first six months of 1976, confident that the possibilities for YCL growth are extensive. The Central Council, in a spe- cial motion on leadership, ex- pressed its appreciation for the work of Liz Hill, general sec- retary of the YCL, who had ask- ed to be relieved of her position to assume other responsibilities. OAPO condemns Trudeau's attack on poor TORONTO — In a statement released Nov. 11, Mike Carson, provincial. coordinator of the Ontario Anti-Poverty Organiza- tion (OAPO), warned that curb- ing social security benefits could trigger social unrest among Canada’s six million poor. ‘“Prime Minister Trudeau’s an- nouncement to curb social secu- rity benefit programs for Can- ada’s six million poor could trigger additional social unrest,” Carson said. — In the statement, prepared for submission to leaders of labor, church and professional organ- izations, the’ OAPO warned that if government continued to ignore the significance of its own statistics on rising unem- ployment, lack of affordable housing, soaring food and energy prices and growing inequality in income distribution, those being driven deeper into poverty would grow impatient with a society planned to perpetuate inequal- ities. “Despite massive government spending we were led to believe was designed to help create a ~ Wilson of Vancouver to assum Elizabeth Hill (above) will tus over YCL leadership to Fi Wilson. The Central Council elected the post beginning in Janua! 1976. j Richard Orlandini, organize of the Communist Party, sented greetings to the meetin on behalf of the Party’s Centr Committee. In speaking of th special ‘effects of the wage co rols on youth, and the need fight for full employanedt Orlal dini said: “Trudeau has. written off youth in making, along with tf corporations, ‘a conscious dec sion to create more unemp ment.” The resolutions were adopte the first greeting the 30th ann! versary of the World Federatio of Democratic Youth in whic the YCL is an executive m ber. The resolution appeals Canadian youth and all diffe tendencies, opinions, phil phies and beliefs to join in great trend of our century anti-imperialist solidarity, pe and progress. The second resolution, was" protest over the closed-door of Luis Corvalan, leader of Communist Party of Chile. calls upon the Canadian gov ment, Canadian youth, and Canadians to protest the and add their voices to world demand for the release Luis Corvalan. healthy society and econo climate, the income distribut gap between the rich and poor rapidly growing,” Carson sal “Misguided government pol has increased the income of top 20% to 42% of the natio income, while those in the 10 est 20% have been cut to j 4% (of the national income).’ is obvious then that the so led incentive programs for unemployed and working P have become welfare giveav for the rich.” He also condemned the fe ral income tax policy, um which the poor pay a higher P portion of their income in than do the rich. “ The statement urges | church and professional gro’ to present a united voice to erment, calling for full employ ment policies, a massive gove ment-run housing program, trols on prices of food, fuel 4 other basic necessities and mediate increases in social urity benefits for the aged, ¢ abled, single parent famil and the unemployed.