Unemployment Canada achieved a new sombre record in December: unemployment reached a postwar high of 8.2%. DBS statistics, up to December 10, 1960, wanton show 528,000 were unemployed out of a total labour force of 6,430,000. The previous high had been 7.6 in December 1958. The unemployment rate for the whole of 1960 was the second highest in the past 15 years. | It stood at 7.0% as compared with 6.0% the previous year. The 1958 rate was 7.1%. Unemployment totalled 6.8% of the labour force in the last quarter of 1960. Hardest hit were labourers (19.8% unemployed) and construction workers (16.0%). Atlantic provinces were most vic- timized among Canada’s five regions with 69,000 unemployed out of a total work force of 578,000. British Columbia came in second with 63,000 unemployed out of 580,000 and Quebec third with 183,000 out of 1,805,000. Prices The consumer price index remained unchanged at 129.6 between November and December 1960. It still showed an increase of 1.7 over that of a year ago however. Little or no change occurred between November and December, in the five group indexes. The food index de- clined 0.2%, the household operation and “other” commodities and ser- vices indexes were unchanged while the shelter and clothing indexes were up a fractional 0.1%. The shelter index remains the highest of the five at 144.6. Wages Average hourly earnings in manufacturing stood at $1.78 in October 1960, compared with $1.77 the previous month and $1.74 in October 1959. Average weekly earnings rose to $72.62 in October from $72.37 the previous month and $71.68 in October 1959. The average work week was down to 40.7 hours in October 1960, from 40.9 hours the previous month and 41.3 hours in October 1959. Profits Following a sharp decrease in the second quarter of 1960, seasonally- adjusted corporate profits were virtually unchanged in the third quarter, according to DBS statistics. There were, however, a number of divergent movements. Profits rose sharply in the finance, insurance and real estate group, but declined by 5% in mining along with a drop in pro- duction. Manufacturing showed a small decline reflecting offsetting movements within the sub-groups; iron and steel fell sharply, but there were some gains in the other components. In the whole of industry, profits for the first nine months of 1960 showed a 4% decline from the corresponding period of 1959 (to $2,404,000,000 from $2,492,000,000). Eddie Praises Labour In Throne Debate VICTORIA—The unemployed workers of British Columbia found a stalwart champion of their needs, when Rae Eddie M.L.A. (New Westminster) urged a “do it now” crash-programme of public works when he entered the Throne Speech Debate in the Legislature. In a slashing attack on the anti- labour policies of the Social Credit Government, he contended that only because of the expansion and activity of the trade union movement had a major depression been averted. Suicide Prevented “We can thank the trade unions for preventing wages from falling drastically, and hence keeping pur- chasing power up for those still working. “Trade unions prevented the wheels of industry from slowing to a dead stop. Actually they saved the capitalist system from self-des- truction”. He pointed to the attempts of the Provincial Government to lay the blame on the Federal Government as of little consequence to unem-. ployed. People wanted work, and the Provincial Government had not done all that might have been done. Unexpended Sums He listed the unexpended approp- riations, to show that-sums voted by the Legislature to aid employment had not been spent as intended. He outlined the possibilities of a “large and sustained increase in expendi- ture on health, education, child wel- fare, slum clearance, and low-rental housing. Said the New Westminster mem- UNION - MADE -. LOGGING and LUMBER GLOVES Our specialty for over 40 years JOHN WATSO LID. VANCOUVER, B. C ber, “If we are to keep pace with the Soviet Union, let alone do the kind of job a free society ought to do, we have to do it and do it fast.” It was Eddie’s opinion that unem- ployment had become a chronic dis- ease, related to the growth of the Canadian economy. One illustration used was in the statistics showing-the total production increase in B.C. as 71%, 1951 to 1959. During this same period the index of average employ- ment rose only 26.4%. The CCF Whip expressed opposi- tion to a ‘made work” programme. Long term expansion of social capi- tal was not in this category, he claimed. “I urge the type of expan- sion in the public area which will automatically result in expansion in the private sector of the economy. We have an obligation to spend more money in this field in order to relieve unemployment, even if it means temporary deficit financing”. i oe, s af ay MEMBERS OF THE CLC LABOUR LOBBY following the presentation of the CLC brief by the Executive Council to the Federal Cabinet, February 2, in Ottawa. Over six hundred and fifty trade unionists were in attendance. f 0, W ' y a AS OTTAWA REPORT SG AN By FRANK HOWARD, M.P. “Tools For The Job Dulled By Indecision And Bungling On November 17, 1960 Parliament opened with all the fanfare and whoop-de-doo of a major circus performance. It was an- nounced as an emergency meeting of Parliament to deal with the question of unemployment before the winter set in. Parliament promptly caught this fever and was desirous of rushing through the preliminaries in order to get to the main event. We wanted to deal with what emergent legislation the Government had to introduce. Parliament waived the traditional Throne Speech Debate by dispensing with it in one day. Then Parliament waited. N.P. Council One. of the emergency measures which was introduced was for the establishment of a National Produc- tivity Council. This Council arose out of the Fall unemployment con- ference called by the Prime Minister who has a penchant for “study groups” and the like. At this Fall conference business, labour, and others sat down and presented their ideas as to how unemployment could be combated. The Prime Minister then announced that he would estab- lish a National Productivity Council. This Council is to consist of 25 people, representative of all economic walks of life. There is one thing that it will do for sure and that is provide employment for at least the 25 mem- bers of the Council. Beyond that there is a great deal of doubt. Council Bill The Bill to‘set up the Council be- came law on December 20, 1950. At the time of writing this (February 10, 1961) the Council has not yet been appointed. Perhaps some refer- ences from Hansard of February 9, 1961 would be interesting. Page 1879 of that date shows: Mr. Frank Howard (Skeena): I wonder, sir, if I might ask the Prime Minister whether he is yet in a position, or whether he can indicate when he might be in a position, to announce the consti- tution of the national productivity council. Right Hon. J. G. Diefenbaker, (Prime Minister): Mr. Speaker, the mobilization of those who will constitute this most impor- tant body is proceeding. When we are in a position to announce the full, complete personnel, it - will be done. Mr. Howard: A supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. I wonder whether the Prime Minister could indicate how a national produc- tivity council that does not exist is going to affect unemployment. I didn’t get an answer to the sup- plementary question, but 1 think the answer is quite obvious. ~ Tory Watchwords Delay, postponement, and pro- crastination are the watch words of the Tory government. But, this ostrich-like attitude doesn't solve the unemployment question, It may help to insulate the government from im- mediate consideration of the matter, but. that is about all, All of the trumpetry and flag wav- ing that heralded the opening of this Session sound pretty hollow at this stage. The statement of the Prime Minister that he had spent the last three years in clearing out the under- brush and that he is now ready for the big timber merely indicates that his tools for the job have become dulled by indecision and bungling. Unsafe Workman He may metaphorically associate himself with the logging industry of the west coast of Canada, but I, for one, wouldn't like to see him em- ployed there. We may be protected from seeing such a spectacle, though, for the Compensation Board may consider him to be an unsafe work- man in that field. Revolt? VICTORIA — Usually well- informed political sources here state that the Social Credit Gov- ernment has encountered some- thing in the nature of a revolt in its own caucus over the proposed anti-union legislation. Some Social Credit members fear the charge of infringement upon civil liber- ties, and others are influenced by employers who believe that a gen- eral strike would result. Get LUCKY LAGER~-the real lager beer! Ga Paes 2) eo * V 422 ee Ta. ee OS Se ES This advertisement is not published or displayed by the Liquor Control Board or by the Government of British Columbia ? as