L

Has Trudeau forgotten:
what he said so soon?

How well the Prime Minister spoke on October 3, 1968, in Re-
gina, when he dedicated the memorial to Louis Riel. The following
—a denial of everything he is doing today—is a newspaper report

of the Prime Minister’s address:

_And breaking off from his prepared text the Prime Minister recog-
nized the placard carrying students and their “right to protest.” But
he urged them to take their complaints through normal channels.

“The channels are there,” he said.

The rights and needs of any group must be weighed against the
rights and needs of others in the country, he told the students.

In his speech of dedication the Prime Minister emphasized that
the battles of Louis Riel for minority rights have not yet been won.

“How many other Riels exist in Canada, beyond the fringe of
accepted conduct, driven to believe that this country offers no
answer to their needs and no solution to their problems?”

He said examples of rights denied or abused can be found in
Many parts of Canada. “But perhaps most obviously in the fields
of education and language . .. We have a blueprint for a functional
bilingual state in the report of the Royal Commission and with the
collaboration of all governments we are beginning to build it. But
it has taken us 100 years and the job is far from done.”

A democratic society and system of government, while among the

grandest of human concepts, are among the most difficult to imple—

ment, the Prime Minister said.

Jn a democracy it is all too easy for the many to forget the

Nore the minority protests.”

_ rights of the few and for a remote and powerful govenment to ig-

_ “Tt is all too easy should disturbances erupt to crush them in the
name of law and order. We must never forget that in the long run
a democracy is judged by the way the majority treats the minority.
Louis Riels’ battles are not yet won,” he said.

He said governments cannot act alone.

“Only when the vast majority of citizens come to understand
‘and share the feelings of minorities will justice truly prevail. Only
when minorities are given the opportunity not just to be heard,
but to participate effectively in the democratic process through re-
sponsive political organizations can we be reasonably certain that
our society will not. produce another tragedy of Louis Riel.”

Mr. Trudeau said the-occasion was to pay tribute to “a fighter
for the rights of his people. Those who share his thirst for social

but in their minds and hearts.”

_justice should preserve his memory not only in bronze and stone

United Quebec unions
battle wave of terror

MONTREAL — The three
‘Main trade union centres of Que-
bec, ‘representing 500,000 or-
ganized workers and over 60,000
teachers, joined last week to
demand “the immediate with-
drawal of war measures which
are threatening democracy and
Civil liberties.” Meeting  to-
gether in Quebec City on Wed-
nesday, Oct. 21 some 500 mem-
bers of the leading councils of
the Quebec Federation of Labor,
the Confederation of National
Trade Unions and the Quebec
Teachers Corporation adopted
the following five resolutions:

1. “We condemn absolutely
these criminal acts, violence
considered as a means of politi-
cal action, and the FLQ itself.
We repeat with insistence our

request already made to the FLQ

to liberate Mr. (James) Cross,
and with equal insistence our
request to the Governments to
Negotiate with speed, realism
and the greatest care to make
this liberation possible, some-
thing they have not yet done.”

2. “Since the Criminal Code
as it stands provides full possi-
bility for carrying out the ar-
rests and the searches necessary
for public order, the unions ask
the immediate withdrawal of
War measures which are threat-
ening democracy and civil liber-
ties. The union front will take
the necessary steps with the

authorities to bring this about.”

. 3. “We ask that a legal com-

-Mittee be set up to: obtain a
complete list of those held, cor-

rect the erroneous communique

of the anti-terrorist squad con-

cerning the illegality of distri-
buting political literature, obtain

by legal procedures if necessary
the immediate liberation of in-
nocent persons, assure by all
legitimate means necessary obe-
dience to the law in treatment
of prisoners.”

4. “The three federations
hereby create a union front. We
are disposed to work in a group
with non-union associations hav-
ing the same objectives ... We
will undertake regional informa-
tion meetings with our rank and
file on the recent positions of the
leadership of the movement, but
also on the social, political and
economic background of them.”

5. “The union front should
draw up speedily, if possible, an
emergency political program
with groups pursuing democra-
tic objectives, containing priori;
ties for a return to political and
social health.”

NM SD Mm eS

You ARE GOING TO GIVE US OUR
CWIL LIBERTIES BACK SOMEDAY,
AREN’T You.---2 oe

—The Gateway, Edmonton

Our liberties at stake!

Labor mounts a fight-back

By BRUCE MAGNUSON
Labor Secretary, Communist
Party of Canada

The invocation of the War
Measures Act by the Trudeau
Government has suspended all
civil liberties in Canada. As a
means of dealing with isolated
anarchist groups and individuals
with a predilection for violence
it has proved to be completely
ineffective. As a means of deal-
ing with a non-existent or so-

called “apprehended” insurrec-

tion” it has turned out to be a
political fraud perpetrated on
the people of Canada. So far,
not a tittle of evidence has been
produced to prove that such a
state of affairs existed in Que-

bec, or in any other part of this:

country.

The most serious consequence
of this ill-conceived move, by
the Ottawa federal administra-
tion and its faithful adherents in
Quebec, has been to widen the
economic, social and political
conflict which threatens Cana-
dian Confederation. Military oc-
cupation, wholesale raids on vil-
lages, political censorship of all
media, searces without warrant,
mass arrests in the night, and
police intimidation — these are
the instruments of war and’ of
oppression.

To the French-Canadian peo-
ple of Quebec this means a re-
jection of their national aspira-
tions, the continuation of mass
unemployment which is 41% of
the all-Canada total, and a per-
petuation of a state of affairs
where average income in Quebec
is one-third below that of On-
tario.

‘Source of Violence

Political chicanery produces
popular frustration. In ,Quebec

this has led to popular despera-

tion and spontaneous protest, in
which certain anarchist elements
advocate and practice individual
acts of terrorism. Such actions
are deplorable and very damag-
ing to organized and mass strug-
gle for social and political
change. But the roots of such
violence must be sought in its
class essence.
The main cause of the risin,
wave of political terror is im-
perialist policy. The main source
of political terror is a social and
political system which breeds

unemployment, want and human -

suffering in the midst of appar-
ent affluence. Violence is pro-
moted by the ruling class. To the
masses of the population it is
abhorrent. Bombings, arson, kid-
nappings and political assassina-
tions cannot be seen in isolation
from a society which deliberate-
ly condones such barbaric de-
struction and ‘suffering as the
war of aggression in Vietnam.
War on Labor

As for the democratic process,
surely none would be as politi-
cally naive as to deny that the
Montreal civic election was any-
thing but a rude mockery of
that process in present circum-
stances. It is perhaps symbolic
that it was the federal minister
of regional economic expansion
the Hon. Jean Marchand, who
rushed into the fray on the side
of Jean Drapeau’s Civic Party.
No “bleeding heart” is he for the
over
Quebec, and those who barely
manage to exist in the growing
slums of Canada’s largest met-
ropolis.

But then, what can one expect
from a Trudeau and his Minis-
ters, the architects of mass_un-
employment and all-out war on
organized labor?

200,000 unemployed in -

Mr.. Trudeau’s social and eco-
nomic policy has aggravated re-
gional economic distortions,
brought decline to whole branch-
es of industry, alienated valuable
resources, in order to serve the
international monopolies and
their dominant position in the
Canadian economy. Services to
monopoly are provided at below-
cost prices, augmented by lav-
ish subsidies. To do this, the
public sector of Canada’s econo-
my is being plundered. ‘

At the same time social needs
are inadequately provided for or
simply ignored. Housing is in a
deplorable state. Big business
tycoons and land speculators do-
minate our cities. ‘

Target of Repression

~ Instead of heeding the only
voices of reason coming from
the labor and democratic move-
ments, both provincial and fede-
ral governments have busied
themselves with drafting strait-
jacketing laws to. still those
voices.

In the meantime, the U.S. eco-
onmic crisis, now in its 14th
month with no let-up in sight, is
spilling over into Canada. Take
a close look at Finance Minister
Edgar Benson’s recent forecast
of a possible 800,000 unem-
ployed this winter. No improve-
ment can be expected, says he,
until perhaps at the end of 1971,
if then.

As if to reinforce this bleak

future, Bank of Canada Gover-:

nor, Louis Rasminsky, says that
nothing can be done to stimulate
the economy and create jobs be-
fore wages and salaries come
down. -

And, as if to top it.all off, La-
bor Minister Bryce Mackasey
warns that unless labor and
management disputes come to
an end, the government will step
in to settle the matter pronto,
presumably by some form of
compulsion.

Need: more be said to convince

_ even the most sceptical that the

réal aim of the invocation of the
Act is to suppress political dis-
sent, to curb movements of the
workers in defence of their

.. rights, to suppress the trade

union movement and its allies,
including strikes and demonstra-
tions?

United Labor Action

In this dangerous situation,
the most heartening develop-
ment is the growing fight-back
of labor.

The unprecedented and _ his-
toric unity of Quebec labor in
response to the terror set loose
by the forces of suppression
there, is an example for all Cana-
dian labor to follow. Their uni-
ted demand for the immediate
restoration of civil liberties goes
to the root of the crisis of Cana-

dian democracy in this hour of
trial.

They have demanded the im-
mediate withdrawal of Ottawa’s
War Measures Act. They have
called for the liberation of inno-
cent persons and a_ careful
watch over the treatment of po-
litical prisoners. They have
formed a united front disposed
to work with non-union associa-
tions of people with similar ob-
jectives. They have decided to

hold regional information meet-:

ings with their rank and file
members to appraise them of

developments and positions of

leadership, including the social,

‘political and economic back-

ground of these developments.
They plan the speedy formula-
tion of an emergency political
program, acting together with all
groups pursuing democratic ob-
jectives, and with priority con-
cern for a return.to political and
social health.

In the meantime labor in Eng-
lish-speaking Canada is begin-
ning to respond to this emer-
gency.

In British Columbia, the Van-
couver and District’ Labor Coun-
cil has called for the withdrawal
of the War Measures Act:

In Ontario, the Windsor and
District Labor Council has done
likewise, and it has also called
upon the Canadian Labor Con-
gress to convene an emergency
conference of all officers of La-
bor Councils and provincial Fed-
erations of Labor across Canada.
' So far, the Trudeau govern-
ment has failed to frighten labor
into submission with its pres-
sures and threats.

The Counter-Attack :

In fact, labor has successfully
mounted counter-attacks on both
the economic and _ legislative
fronts.

Inside Parliament, 16 New
Democrat M.P.’s had the courage
of their conviction to stand up
and be counted in a situation of
mass hysteria and confusion. As
the initial shock disappears and
the real situation begins to
emerge more clearely, there are
ample reasons to look forward
to a mass movement against re-
pressive legislation, for the with-
drawal of the War Measures Act,
and for a full restoration of
civil liberties and democracy in
Canada.

As this appears in print, two -

provincial labor federations, in
Ontario and B.C., will be meet-
ing in convention. The most vital
interest of all Canadians will be

served if they speak up loud and°

clear on this issue, and call upon
the CLC to convene an emer-
gency conference to call for re-

turn of civil liberties and to for-

mulate an economic and ‘social
program which the majority of
Canadians can support.

Can Car: strikers fight on

THUNDER BAY — Manage-
ment of Canadian Car made
some new proposals to the nego-
tiating committee this week.
More than 400 workers have
kept the plant idle since July
23, and at a Sunday meeting
called to vote on the new pro-
posals, held in the Lakehead La-
bor Centre, 75% voted to reject
the offer and to continue the
strike.

The Company offered a pack-
age deal which on the surface

looked like 65 cents for a three- -

year agreement. But when the
frills were cleared away the men

would be getting only 44 cents
for three years. Such an offer on
top of already low wages rang-
ing from $2.70 to $3.04 hardly
qualifies Hawker Siddley em-
ployees as buyers of new homes,
since the minimum standards are
beyond their income levels, and
is certainly far below the mini-
mum standard of wages paid in
other regions of Ontario for the
same*type of work. It is much
below the goals spoken of in the
big release of the Robarts gov-
ernment’s “Design for Develop-
ment” made public a few. days
ago. ©

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCTOBER 30, 1970—PAGE 7