So. \6 TOUGH ALL OVER/ 25 years ago... GRASS ROOTS POLITICS Municipal taxes have tripled and quadrupled since 1946, yet essential services have deterior- ated. Hundreds of wonderful plans for housing projects, schools, hospitals and recreation centres remain on paper. What is the root cause of this? It is the war policy of the government. Since 1947 we have earmarked $5.5-billion for war expenditure. They could send a squadron of Sabre Jets costing $650,000 each to the CNE but refuse to contribute one cent to- ‘ward building houses for To- ronto veterans or daycare centres for workers’ children. The truth is that civic progress depends on peace. Imagine what that $5-billion could have done to our municipalities . . .” Tribune, Oct. 27, 1952 50 years ago... TOWARDS THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION The seven-hour day for the Workers of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics! This is the decision announced today by the Central Executive Com- mittee of the All-Union Con- gress of Soviets, the highest governing body in the workers’ and peasants’ republic, at its meeting in the first capital of the Revolution amid the enthusias- tic welcoming demonstrations of the whole population. All streets and houses are gaily decorated with flags, throngs gathered at the railroad station to welcome the members of the committee on their arrival. Bands played and the entire population celebrates. The Worker, Oct. 29, 1927 PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOVEMBER 4, 1977—Page 4 WAS 1177 SIDITIORULAIL Zt A total of 3,450 jobs will vanish directly at INCO’s operations in Sudbury and Thompson, Manitoba. Thousands of others will be undermined. The effects on these two communities are still being anticipated. What has happened in this case, as we have seen in aie industries run by U.S. multi-nationals, is clear. The big giants, not caring a damn about where they op- erate or what happens when they pull up stakes, are behaving just like pul -na- tionals do.’ Here’s INCO which has made billions in profits from Canada’s raw materials ($1.7-billion net profit in the past 10 years alone). Here’s INCO with $378- million in deferred taxes ripping off the public purse. The company loans ~ another $20.75-million to expand into Guatemala and $57.25-million to get its hands on Indonesian nickel, again tax- payers’ money. | Canadians pay not only in hard cash to ensure and extend INCO’s profit pic- ture, but now, in the latest insult, watch as this “corporate citizen” literally dis- cards thousands of working people. Equally disgraceful in this shoddy pic- ture is the behavior of Ottawa and Queen’s Park, “We cannot offend the private sector by ordering INCO to fill all its nickel orders from Sudbury,” laments ‘Labor Minister John. Munro. Energy Minister Gillespie suggests Sudbury workers might move to Elliot Lake. On- tario premier Davis complains he wasnt notified about the layoffs in time. Worry about the workers and theif communities? Not at all! These:two cap- tive governments instead. run interfer- ence for the company, lecturing the workers and covering up their own com- plicity for years of giveaways. The chickens are coming home 10) roost — government policy over decades opening the door to the multi-nationals under the name “Canada-US. integra: tion” or “continentalism” is reaping its results. Our branch plant economy 1s paying the price and working people are the victims. These jobs at INCO must be saved. The company should keep the plant i1 _ production — it must be forced to do so. The governments involved must be pressured to enact legislation to make this happen and, if necessary, nationalize the industry for the good of this country. The pressure must be led by the trade unions in a country-wide campaign t0 force INCO and the governments to act in the people’s interests. The INCO episode is the tip of the ‘iceberg. Multi-national behavior see? this case can be duplicated in other ~ ‘ sectors of Canada’s economy — ener oil, iron ore, hydro, — where the junial partner policies of successive Liberal and Tory governments have made this coun- try a playground for foreign takeovers: The INCO story could just trigger this needed debate. Tightening the screws It’s been quite a week. The very moment Jean Chretien was delivering his mini-budget, INCO-was saying goodbye to 3,450 of its workers. Just as the Finance Minister gener- ously gave us a 36 cents a day in tax reduction he tells us our standard of liv- ing will drop by 2%. He then doles out more millions to private enterprise to “stimulate” the economy. He says controls will be lifted-April 14 —and then tightens the screws by impos- ing a 6% ceiling on wage increases. Chretien’s television debute was a bust. So was his budget. The government has its eye on other cutbacks too. It threatens the family al- lowance and old age pensions. It squeezes the jobless subsisting on UIC payments, threatening, intimidating and cheating people out of their benefits. ‘Trudeau insults students and tells the unemployed that jobs exist if only they wanted to work. Chretien says this budget will create 50,000 gone (and al- most 10% of that figure disappears in one week) but there are almost 1.5 mil- lion out of work in this country. The government suggests a nickel car- ; tel — hours later the scandal about the uranium cartel rip-off, which cost Cana- dians millions and gave away more mil- _ lions to big business hits the headlines. This government has never been so bankrupt, corrupt or arrogant as today. It’s unconcern and stupidity combined with its outright criminality has ‘now been brought before the country in all its starkness. Certainly the times call for a new 50m ernment with new. policies: Now ts the time If Ottawa, with its two-faced policy to ward racist South Africa, has not got thé message by now, surely last week’s events should be enough to move even thé Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The cold-blooded murder of stidell leader Steve Biko by police, the jailings of hundreds of people, closing of news papers and banning of organizations i the latest wave of repression might suggest to this government its hypocricy towards the Vorster regime (abhoring apartheid in words, bolstering it in - deeds) is obvious to everyone. Now’s the time for Jamieson to quite pussyfooting and break relations with. Pretoria. It’s time to boycott South Afir can goods, stop trading with.the regime and quite sinking money into the country. Instead of backing the U.S. and| NATO forces, Ottawa should aligt Canada with the people of South Afric4 who today are struggling mightily and successfully for their freedom.