EDITORIAL

As Marine Lt.-Col. Oliver North invoked the
_ fifth amendment 40 times before a U.S. Senate
intelligence committee hearing investigating
arms sales to Iran and illegal diversion of
- monies to the Nicaraguan contras, U.S. Presi-
_ dent Reagan, unable to stem the tide, agreed to
_ the appointment of a special prosecutor to look
into the affair.
These events followed a week of mounting
drama which is rocking the Reagan presidency
and bringing back memories of Nixon’s
Watergate. Who knew what, and when did
they know it, are the questions again being
_ asked.
North was fired, Reagan’s national security
adviser John Poindexter resigned and _vice-
president George Bush, fearful of his presiden-
tial ambitions, is strangely silent.
Clearly, it’s time at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
to shift the blame, run for cover and practise
skilful damage control.
What the outcome of the many investiga-
_ tions underway will be remains to be seen. The
U.S. public, raised on eight solid years of
manipulated hatred against Iran, Libya, Syria,
will be difficult to placate. Having created a
~ monster of anti-Arab, anti-Iranian chauvinism,
the creators may just find themselves devoured
by it.

But in a very real sense, North, Poindexter
and other bits of wreckage in this scandal are
merely tools of a foreign policy crisis of major
‘proportions. Reagan has two more years in
_ office should he survive Irangate 0 or whatever
other scandals lie ahead.

But in the six years of his presidency — six
years in which Texas-California right-wing
ideologues have set policy, six years of
unbridled anti-Sovietism and militaristic jingo-
ism, six years of unprecedented arms spending
— the foreign policy thrust of the United States
has been acutely dangerous and frightening.
‘America is standing tall again,” in reality has
meant the development of space warfare, the
intense and total militarization of the U.S.
economy. “Putting Vietnam behind us,” trans-
lates into the bombing’of Libya, funding the

Independent Canadian
foreign policy a must

Nicaraguan contras, the rape of Grenada, the
CIA war against Afghanistan and Angola and
torpedoing of SALT II.

The comprehensive arms control proposals
made by the Soviet Union at Reykjavik were
rejected by an administration determined to
seek every device to achieve a military edge on
the USSR, a window of opportunity through
which to destroy socialism. Superprofits from

_ Star Wars and other unbelievably expensive

weapons systems have replaced rationality.
While millions starve on this earth, millions are
spent each hour on destruction.

Under the Reagan presidency the military-
industrial complex has come to power. The
world is a much more dangerous place.

The lesson for Canadians and other U.S.
“allies” should not go unheeded. This adminis-
tration, its powerful monied interests and its
right-wing fanatics will press their agenda
unremittingly. They will demand of “friends
and allies” unquestioned support, political, mil-
itary and moral backing.

If ever Canada needed to carefully and
determinedly develop an independent foreign
policy, it is now. Tagging along with Reagan,
giving him “the benefit of the doubt,” as Mul-
roney and his Tories are doing, places Canada
in peril. We’ve just become complicit in break-
ing SALT II. We are up to our necks in the
North Warning system, part of Star Wars and,
thus, part of the eventual breaking of the 1972
ABM Treaty.

Our membership in NATO and NORAD
takes on a new and menacing tone with Reagan
and his generals in charge. An independent
Canadian foreign policy aimed at detente, dis-
armament, peaceful development and mutual
advantage of all nations is what Canadians
want, not being tied helplessly to the U.S. war
chariot as it runs out of control.

As we watch the investigations in Washing-
ton uncover more of the illegal, dirty and
immoral activities of the Reagan White House,
appreciation of what a truly independent for-
eign policy for Canada could accomplish will
grow.

Nowy H - SOvTy
oGUE

Banks continue to be top hogs at the profits trough. The Royal
Bank’s profit for the year ending Oc. 31 were $489-million, up
slightly from $488-million pocketted last year. The truly awesome
power of banks is seen in Royal’s assets — $99.6-billion up a
healthy $3.6-billion from last year.

FIRIBUNE

Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN
Assistant Editor — DAN KEETON
Business & Circulation Manager — MIKE PRONIUK
Graphics — ANGELA KENYON

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_ The pitfalls of Ontario’s pay equity bill

TORONTO — The Ontario Liberals met with achorus
of opposition when they tabled their long awaited legisla-
tion to provide pay equity in the private sector Nov. 25.

The bill covers private businesses, and what is known

s “the broader public sector’’, community colleges,
hospitals, Crown agencizs and school boards, but
exempts companies with less than 10 workers.

It follows on Bill 105, the act intended to cover 29,000
women working in the government civil service. Now
stalled in the legislature, it has caused deep controversy

- jn the women’s and labor movements.
Predictably, business immediately came out swinging
against the bill, but the Equal Pay Coalition, which has
_ spearheaded the lobby for equal value legislation gave it
a tentative nod. However, inside sources say there is
considerable opposition within the coalition which want it
to take a more critical approach.
There is much to criticize. Exclusions under the act
coincide with the most notorious female job ghettos. The
10 worker cutoff, excludes over 12 per cent of the female
labor force, including day care teachers, librarians and
clerical workers.
Companies with fewer than 100 employees are not
required to develop a pay equity plan. To take advantage
| Of the act’s provisions, workers will have to lay com-
plaints.

Two-thirds of women in industry are found in the
garment, textile, leather, shoe and toy sectors. This
work is done primarily by immigrant women working in

News Analysis

Kerry McCuaig

small shops. The onus is therefore placed on these work-
ers, among the most vulnerable in the workforce, to lay
complaints. Furthermore the act provides no protection
for those workers who do complain.

Like Bill 105, the legislation is extremely complex;
verging on the incomprehensible. It is riddled with loop-
holes and designed to confuse.

The proposed law would require companies with more
than 100 employees to post plans showing how they
propose to compare jobs within their establishments and
how much women’s wages will be adjusted. Employers
would be required to spend up to 1 per cent of their
previous year’s payroll on pay equity and adjustments.

Women in job categories that are more than 60 per
cent female will be able to compare their work based on
conditions, responsibilities, effort and skill, with jobs

» where there are more than 70 per cent men. The formula
has raised fears that employers will juggle their work-
force in order to avoid complaints.

Although the legislation states that no wages are to be
cut to provide women with pay equity ‘‘the bill may
actually hold down wage increases for the working
class’’, says Ontario Communist Party leader Gordon
.Massie.

‘‘We’ve been presented with a ‘share the poverty
scheme’; an invitation for business to ‘red circle’ men’s
wages for years, while women catch up. This is contrary
to all internationally agreed to guidelines covering equal
pay for work of equal value, which state no worker is to
have wages cut or held back to gain equal pay. The
government has not even provided a reasonable basis for
negotiation’, Massie charged. ‘“'The act should be
scrapped.”

Citing government figures which show women are
underpaid $3 billion a year because their work is under-
valued, Massie asked ‘‘where is the ‘new' money for
women workers? This takes the same wage pie and
makes minor adjustments dividing it."’

Massie says if implemented the act is sure to cause
divisions. ‘‘Government has seen the growing and un-
precedented unity developed between men and women
workers over the past two decades. The Liberals along
with big business have purposely designed a piece of
legislation intended to sow divisions.”’

casas

10 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 17, 1986