J wel Election The Communist Party’ Survival, sovereignty anc _ pable Tory on- Slaught,” he . the Liberal 6 Pacific Tribune, October 31, 1988 _ Stopping _ the Tory stampede - - decisive | Tabane could be the key to denying the Tories a majority in the Nov. 21 federal election, Communist Party leader George Hewison told a meet- ing of party activists meeting here last . weekend. _ Citing public opinion polls indicat- ing Mulroney’s Conservatives had shifted into first place among decided voters in the city, Hewison accused _the Tories of launching a campaign to _ smash the opposition and stampede “The dusnmreart ata Nis been put on alert to demobilize the peoples’ _ Movements = <0 _convinee them signed to give the impression | | of an unstop- ticular had been targeted in the _ attempt to demoralize the anti-Tory _ forces. “The Liberals have taken up _ the anti-free trade banner and are running with it. The aim now is to undermine and destroy the credibility of the Liberals and their leader John Turner,” Making a pit-stop on his Ontario- wide tour, Hewison acknowledged the Tory strategy was having an effect: “In some areas, decisive sections of the working. class are sitting out the campaign.” A weak Opposition is partly responsible, he saia. “The NDP is giv- _ ing working people a fuzzy message. _ (NDP leader Ed) Broadbent, in cal- ling for a two-party system in Canada, is ensuring a Tory majority govern- ment. In this case, second place is a - poor consolation prize.” Accusing the mainstream parties of - Wanting to conduct the campaign “on _ form, not substance,” the Communist leader outlined the issues he said the other parties have ignored: abortion, Meech Lake, Native rights, disarma- _ ment, foreign policy and apartheid. -Hewison urged his workers not to : underestimate the role the Commu- nist Party can play. “We can make a difference — by compelling debate . around the basic issues; by stimulat- _ ing the people’s movements to fight for their concerns. Brian Mulroney _ should not be able to go to a commun- On ge A oa with ; ‘have a nice day.” he future of Can- ada is at stake. The Tories and the business circles they represent have put Canada up for sale. The Mulroney trade agreement surrenders Canadian jobs, medicare, working conditions, culture, water and energy to the giant corpora- tions and their global business opera- tions. Even the Meech Lake Accord is designed for the easy sale of Canada. The Tories have increased Canada’s involvement in the arms race. As the world talks about stopping threat of nuclear annihilation, Mulroney plans to spend $14 billion on nuclear-powered Arctic submarines and $200 billion more on other arms and the military. The deterioration of the environment has speeded up. Mulroney has proven unwilling and unable to negotiate an acid rain agreement with the U.S. Privatization and deregulation have benefitted the wealthy, but meant a very real attack on living standards, social services, decent jobs and job security. Homelessness, poverty and unem- ployment have become commonplace in many parts of the country. Bankrupt farmers have been forced off their lands. Canadians cannot afford another Tory government. Responding to public pressure, the Liberals oppose the Mulroney trade deal and major planks in the Tory neo- conservative platform. But the Liberals remain a party of big business and offer no real solutions for working people. The NDP projects a good, but insuf- ficient, alternative. The NDP will not be able to meet the challenge posed by the trade deal and neo-conservatism without tackling more fundamental problems. Curbing the power of corporate wealth is the only long-term guarantee of sovereignty, independence and eco- nomic and social advance for Canadi- ans. Communist Party candidates are running to strengthen the battle for independence, for peace, for environ- mental protection and for economic rights for working people. These are all steps of the road to a new society, a society free from exploitation and the threat of nuclear war a socialist Canada. To stop the trade deal and break the stranglehold of right-wing corporate pol- icies, the unity and action of all who care about the future of our country is essential. Your vote can make the differ- ence. The best possible result on Nov. 21 would be the election of a majority of MPs, including Communists, committed to Canadian independence, the improvement of living standards for our people, a clean and healthy environment and to a world free from the threat of nuclear disaster. = “A vote for the Communist Party is a vote for a new direction for Canada. “It is a vote for economic and social justice, for expanding democratic rights, for policies which favour people instead of corporate Canada. A message from CPC leader, “Tt is a vote for peace, for ) collective security for all countries; for decisive action to reverse the march to world ecological disastel: “A vote for the Communist Pat!) is a vote for real change. It is a committed vote, a barometer for the next government and for everyone a A NUCLEAR WEAPONS FREE WORLD BY THE YEAR 2000 0 Peaceful co-existence between east and west and mutual collective security for all countries: support a 50 per cent reduction in strategic offensive missiles and a comprehensive ban on nuclear testing. © Declare Canada a nuclear weapons- free zone. End cruise missile testing. No support for Star Wars. Make the Arctic a de-militarized zone. Scrap the Tory White Paper on defence and the cancel the submarine program. Reduce the mil- itary budget. Withdraw from NATO and NORAD and work toward the dis- solution of all military blocs. o Disarmament for development: take Canadian leadership to end apar- theid by breaking all economic and diplomatic relations with South Africa. | Support a just settlement in the Middle East based on establishment of a Pales- tinian homeland. Press the U.S. to end its interference in Central America. A TOP PRIORITY O Develop a comprehensive program, with full public input, for the protection MAKING THE ENVIRONMENT |