|
}

}

44

monopoly capital, Canadian and
_U.S. imperialism — and for
fundamental social change. Nor
would a divided Canada be in the
best interests of the two nations.”

Based on an overall estimate of
the situation, the Program de-
clares: ‘‘The Communist Party
stands for the unity of the working
class of both nations in the strug-
gle against the common enemy,
Canadian monopoly and U.S. im-

_ perialism; both to assert Canadian
independence and in the struggle

Canada creates the best condi-
tions for such a successful strug-
gle. The democratic national
forces of French Canada are a
powerful potential ally of the
labor movement in common
struggle- against Canadian and
U.S: imperialism’.

- Solution is Socialism

highly déveloped monopoly
capitalism, the solution to the na-
tional question is bound up with
the solution of the economic and
political crisis of capitalism. Thus
the national question at bottom is
a social question which can, in the
final analysis, only be completely
solved by socialism.

Labor Must Lead Fight

5. Because its economic and
political needs are at stake it is

for a socialist Canada. A united ~

4. In today’s conditions of

Committee meets

om.

the crisis of Co

primarily the working class, par-
ticulary the central labor bodies of
both nations, which must take the
lead in fighting for a new genuine
Constitution buttressed by a Bill
of Rights, and for overcoming
economic and social inequality
and the achievement of far reach-
ing democratic reforms.

Cannot Ignore Question

6. Communists cannot be in-
different to the national and
democratic question. The ultra-
left and social reformists by-pass
the national question. The ultra-
left proposes a direct attack on

capitalism and a direct fight for —

socialism. To the ultra-left there
are no stages and no national
question. Social reformism ig-

__nores the national question as can

be seen in Quebec. The NDP fails
to see that the economic and na-

tional question is intertwined in

Quebec. This explains why
Broadbent can make the. stupid
remark during a speaking tour in
the Maritimes, that it is ‘‘more
important. to tackle economic
problems than patriation of the
BNA Act’’. What is involved is

of the people of Quebec, or of the

West. The old idea, which has
lasted for over 100 years, will do,
if we can dedicate ourselves to it
with fresh sincerity and strength
of purpose’. The old idea he is

talking about is the BNA Act

which perpetuates national in-
equality.

' By failing to develop a sound
position on the national question
the door is left open to bourgeois
nationalism to take up the banner
of the nation and divide the work-

- ing class and democratic forces.

 nameartel

Bev tee»

not the question of patriation but ra :
the essence of the question — the <7
national question — and _ this
Broadbent ignored. It finds its re- ss
flection too in Premier Blakeney’s 97%

address to the Canadian Club in *

The program of the Communist Party declares it ‘stands for the unity of the working class of both nations in
the struggle against the common enemy, Canadian monopoly and U.S. imperialism, both to assert Canadian
independence and in-the struggle for a socialist Canada.” Above photo the 23rd Convention of the Party.

Toronto where he is quoted as
saying: “No new ideas are neces-
sary to win the hearts and minds

Working-class internationalism

7. The Communist Party of
Canada with its program on the’
national question as it applies to
Canada helps to unite the national
democratic forces in Quebec with
the labor movement in active
struggle against Canadian and
U.S. imperialism. ‘‘Support by
the democratic forces of English-
speaking Canada for recognition
of French Canada’s right to self-
determination and support of the
French Canadian democratic

Co ae
ene oe MOSS commgvas penne
ton SA Cn ee

nfederation

forces for unity of the peoples of
both nations against the common
enemy — Canadian monopoly
and U.S. imperialism — this is the
way to overcome the long stand-
ing distrust, friction, and resent-
ments that have divided the two

peoples. At the heart of this policy

is the principle of working-class
internationalism. The unity in ac-
tion of the working class of
French and English-speaking
Canada is the decisive factor in
this’’. (The Road to Socialism in
Canada — Chapter 3, page 23).

The CLC and the arms race ET

On November 19 last year the secret-
ary of the Canadian Labor Congress
wrote to the secretary of the Labor
Council of Metro Toronto explaining
the position of the CLC in respect to the
Stockholm Appeal to End the Arms
Race.

The letter points out that the CLC
has not yet decided that a UN World
Disarmament Conference is the “‘obvi-
ous way to bring about rapid and plan-
ned disarmament as a step toward
peace with equity’’. It points out also
that neither has the CLC decided that
the Stockholm Appeal “‘is the best way

‘to influence opinion to bring about the
kind of peaceful world’’ (our emphasis)
_the CLC desires. e

Believing that peace is the business
of everyone, we are impelled to com-
Ment on the above passage taken from
Donald Mongomery’s letter.

* OX

The first comment on the CLC’s
Secretary-treasurer’ s explanation of the
CLC’s position re the Stockholm Ap-
peal has to be that the Appeal has
Proven to be a most powerful medium
In registering world public opinion.

' More than a billion people in Europe

and in other areas of the world who

_ have felt the full effects of the horror of

the Second World War have already
Signed the Appeal. Tens upon tens of
thousands of Canadians have signed.
Other tens of thousands are signing in

-.More than a hundred countries. 5
The Appeal has been publicly en-

dorsed by heads of states, govern-
‘Ments, prominent trade union leaders,

Marxism-Leninism in Today’s World

scientists, educationalists, artists and
other cultural workers, heads of inter-
national women’s, youth, peace, and

other organizations, church leaders and ©

many other outstanding personalities
too numerous to mention here.-
* K OK

The letter states that the CLC wants
its own ‘‘kind’’ of peaceful world. Well,
don’t we all. Every people in every land
want their own ‘‘kind’’ of -peaceful
world. And in individual countries dif-
ferent groups of people also want their
own ‘‘kind’’ of peaceful world.

However, to place the question this
way makes little sense in a world armed
to the teeth with nuclear weapons and
weapons systems. If world nuclear war

_ should break out none of us will have a

choice about the ‘‘kind’’ of peaceful
world we want. What we are more

’ likely to get, if we fail to act together to
prevent it, is the “‘peace”’ of the grave. ~

*x* *

It is equally misleading to speak
about ‘‘rapid’’ disarmament as does the

CLC’s secretary-treasurer. For dis- -

armament in this modern world of ours
is a complex task indeed. It is compli-
cated in many ways, for no country is
going to disarm without security or
“equity, to use Donald Mont-
gomery’s term. Disarmament is a mat-

ter .of serious and protracted.

negotiations.
Serious negotiations cannot begin un-
less the interested parties are prepared

to come together and negotiate. All

. trade union leaders know this simple

fact. They know also that even negotia-
tions over wages and conditions are ex-
tremely complicated in today’s com-
plex industrial society. They know too
that bargaining can be quite protracted
especially when the employers so wish.
When this happens, as union leaders
well understand, pressure from union
ranks is sometimes required to get seri-
ous talks under way.
° * * *

This is what the Stockholm Appeal is
all about. It is ‘a tool in the hands of
ordinary people to help bring the repre-

‘sentative of all countries together in a

world disarmament conference under

. the aegis of the United Nations — a

conference capable of negotiating and
of reaching political agreement at the
highest level to put an end to the arms
race.

To reach an. agreement to end the.

arms race is the key to resolving the
whole disarmament problem. And,-be-
cause it is key, it will be the most diffi-
cult set of negotiations. _

Talks on questions of ending the
arms race and of disarmament are tak-
ing place in various forms. They take
place on a bilateral basis involving
states with the biggest military-
industrial potentials. They take place in
special bodies established for discuss-
ing disarmament as a whole or its sepa-

- rate aspects, involving states represent-

- possible.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FEBRUARY 18, 1977—Page

ing the main political grouping and geo-
graphic regions of the world. Work on
disarmament is a feature of the UN.

* * *

On the whole these forms of negotia-
tions and discussion are useful. How-

~ ever, much more is required. For one

thing, they are extremely slow in pro-
ducing results because the negotiations

‘are protracted, sometime’s beyond

reason, as a result, unfortunately, of

Stalling tactics and deliberate avoid-

ance of serious discussion pursued by
the West.

To put the fundamental question of
disarmament into practice, which in-
volve the interests of all states without
exception, demands that the main ques-
tion of disarmament be considered by a
maximum broad and authorative inter-
national forum.

First, such a forum must be world-:
wide. All states must be represented.
Second, it must provide the opportun-
ity to discuss thorougltly in a qualified
manner, and with all circumstances
duly taken into account, the whole
‘series of disarmament issues.. Third, it
must have the right to adopt effective
decisions.

A World Disarmament Conference
under the authority of the United Na-
tions would meet these demands. The ©
CLC would be acting in the best in-
terests of Canada and the Canadian
people if it added its voice to the
world-wide demand that such a confer-
ence be convened as: quickly as