he Ontario elections this week provide many Cana-
dians, and especially workers, with a basic object
lesson, not on vital issues, but on capitalist ‘“‘objectiveness.”’

The Tories, in office for nearly three decades, say ‘‘we’ve
done a good job.”’

The Liberals, yearning to get first place at the public
trough, say ‘“‘we can and will do better.”’

The right-wing NDP, who aspire to ‘‘run capitalism better
than the capitalists do,”’ say ‘‘try us, we’re nice people, with
‘plans’ for every contingency.”’

And the Socreds, hooligans, god-punchers, funny-money
wizards and all, say ‘“‘we’re God’s chosen people . . . repent
while you have the opportunity.”’

Only the Communists, the only people on the hustings who
present basic fundamental issues and social change in terms of
human rights and requirements, get the ‘‘blackout’’ treatment
from the “‘news’’ media. The inanities of all other parties and
individuals is loudly trumpeted far and wide.

It all reminded one of a low-grade tragi-comedy drama, in
which the star performers had been collectively brainwashed
of what little they may have had to ‘“‘wash’’, where insipid
cliches, specious promises and empty twaddle became a handy
substitute to cover-up social and economic ills. No wonder
modern politics is becoming known as ‘‘a dirty game’’, and the
dirt is not obscured by the niceties of parliamentary jargon nor
its professional aspirants.

Nor is it to be wondered at that all modern monopoly-
dominated or influenced Establishments, regardless of their
partisan vintage, are becoming more and more suspect by an
intimidated and seemingly ‘‘silent’’ majority. Some
wisenheimer once cracked that ‘‘the people deserve the kind of
government they get’’. That no longer holds good, if it ever did.
In this day and age under our two-three-four-or-more
‘democratic’? system, the people are often faced with the
choice of voting for what they don’t want in order to rid
themselves of what they have had more than'enough of.

The numerous partisan ‘‘landslides’’ and switchovers
during the past century or more should have driven that lesson
home by now. But seemingly with us Canadians, it would
appear to be easier to grasp at the shadow than unite to win the
substance; to rely on the Establishment rather than effectively
challenge it’s right to exist.

On this challenge of prevailing Establishments, as on all
other issues of immediate or long-range concern, we recall
some measure of pleasure from the experiences of many
electoral bouts on the hustings, viz, that the Communists were
always accorded the greatest volume of applause. In other
words we invariably ended up with a maximum of cheers and a
minimum of votes, a rather strange imbalance to say the least.

The stock apologia from our supporters in those halcyon
days was that we “‘hadn’t a chance to win anyway, so why
“lose their vote’? One could well ask how can one “‘lose’’
something which only results in getting more of the same?
Happily however, that imbalance will change one of these days
— and from the economic, political and social mess the
political parties of Big Business have got themselves and the
country into, perhaps sooner than we think — with far less
‘lost’ votes being lost to signal a much needed change.

Well it is all over for the moment, the votes all in and the
Tories back to run the Ontario Establishment, while those less
lucky must lick the wounds.of defeat. Both however have one
thing in common — a mutual abandonment of the lavish pre-
election ‘‘promises’’ made; the ‘‘ins’”’ on the grounds that ‘‘the
country cannot afford such extravagant fiscal expenditures at
this time’, the others ‘‘aw hell, I just promised, if elected . .”’

As far as “Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition’’ goes, and
whether the Liberals or the NDP will hold that dubious position
in Ontario, it really doesn’t matter one hoot in hell. On all vital
isSues concerning the welfare of the people of Ontario, or
Canada for that matter, the bulk of this ‘‘Opposition’’
invariably goes the way of the Establishment and the latter the
way of monopoly Big Business. So if anyone should ask ‘“‘who
lost’ instead of “‘who won’’, the answer is simple — Ontario
specifically, Canada generally.

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AY, OCTOBER 29, 1971—PAGE2

Transit report falls far
Short of public’s needs

By ALD. HARRY RANKIN

The latest report of the
Greater Vancouver Regional
District — ‘‘A Policy Statement
on the Transportation Function”
— is good as far as it goes, but it
doesn’t go very far.

It proposes the establishment
of a Regional Transportation
Authority. Its first priority
would be taking over the B.C.
Hydro bus system and
establishing an ‘‘Expanded Bus
System”’ to be followed later by
‘“‘Light Rapid  Transit’’
consisting of commuter trains on
the. old interurban lines running
from Vancouver to Richmond
and New Westminster. These
are welcome proposals.

It further requests that the
B.C. Hydro bus system be turned
over. to the Regional
Transportation Authority ‘debt
and obligation free’’ for ‘‘one
dollar’’ and that future operating
losses if any be shared by the
province and regional district.

It also asks each participating
municipality to declare its
willingness to share in the cost
up to the equivalent of one mill
on the school tax. Capital cost
contributions from the province
are also asked.

The Greater Vancouver
Regional District also endorses
some sound fundamental
propositions regarding public
transit.

One is that public
transportation is a service to be
bought and provided for the
general public good, as is fire
protection, public health service,
and roads.

Another is that fares should
not be regarded as the sole
source of financing public
transportation.

What is disappointing about
the whole report is its failure to:

« Propose a start now on a
rapid transit system.

- Oppose the freeway system
being developed in Vancouver as
well as a third crossing.

. Suggest concretely what
percentage of the costs the
provincial government should
contribute, as well as how much
Ottawa should provide.

. Find new alternative means
of financing the regional
district’s share, other than a
sales tax, gasoline tax or bridge
and tunnel tolls.

An expanded bus system and a
start now on rapid transit
system are needed much more
than another crossing of Burrard
Inlet. A third crossing would cost
close to $200 million, would
saddle us with high tolls and an
enormous debt.

The $27 million plus pledged by
the provincial government to
build approaches to the third
crossing would be much better
spent on improving our present
bus system.

A proper system of land
assembly instituted. now could
pay the major cost of any rapid
transit system.

All freeway plans in
Vancouver should be dropped
once and for all.

B.C. Hydro should cancel its
plans for further cutbacks in bus
service.

If all groups and individuals
concerned with public transit
concentrated their efforts in
these directions, I think we could
get some results soon.

event this month.

nist
TOAST TO 50 YEARS OF CP. Photo shows (left to right), B.C. Commd
Party leader Nigel Morgan, national leader William Kashtan: the
Fraser Valley regional organizer Rod Doran, drinking a tor Hotel!
Communist Party at the 50th anniversary reception in t
Surrey, Oct. 13. Successful banquets throughout B.C. marke

he ode ha

ae

Legal bargaining right :
aim of tenant campaié!

An all out campaign to achieve
legal bargaining rights for
tenants has been initiated by the
Vancouver Tenants Council.

The organization will
commence gathering signatures,
aiming at a total of at least
50,000, asking city council to
amend its grievance board bylaw
for collective bargaining rights
for tenants in situations where

BURCHETT
NOT COMING

Wilfred Burchett, who was
scheduled to speak in
Vancouver on November 4,
has informed the Vancouver
sponsors of his meeting that
due to a change in plans it will
not be possible for him to keep
his speaking appointment
here.

The Ad Hoc Committee to
End the War in Indochina said
it has cancelled plans for the
meeting announced in last
week’s PT.

_ rent increases. ets |

them to keep their cou

the majority of tenants ¥
joined in anassociation. — as.
The petition campaley. jin
approved at a general ae jast
the Steelworkers

Sunday. is 1
all
Secretary of the be of
Council Bruce Yorke 54.
ndiv’

will approach not only i iol |

community orga a eltate |
church groups and teil! |

people who are most 4
Tenants Council mem
made it clear at the
meeting that they were rect
that action on the civi¢ ser
front was necessary if 2! ple
sympathetic to tenants Pl
are to be elected. in ho
Alderman Harry Rank! ort
has given consistent supP sp |
the organization’s effor's * sel

to the group on Sund vail si

; e
if they hoped to improv

situation.

AMCAVEK BRL

“Okay, that’s that—now let's blow the damned pla