DS se are ND — Almost at the same time last week that the Socred cabinet passed an order - in - council approving the setting up of an ~“Snstant town’’ in the Ashcroft area by the giant Lornex Mining Corp., the government’s “instant town’’ legislation came under fire at Gold River on Vancouver Island. Lauded some years ago aS a model example of a modern industrial community, Gold River was set up under the government’s ‘‘instant town” legislation. This legislation enables the cabinet to set aside land and make special arrange- ments with industrial concerns to set up communities to serve new industries in outlying parts of B.C. : From the beginning it was clear that this legislation was another form of provincial handout to the big corporations. So called ‘‘instant towns”’ are a: means of setting up com- munities which to all intents and purposes function like the old company towns of the thirties. _ The “instant towns’’ give the giant monopolies complete control over the housing, educational standards, living conditions, taxes, civic services and, in general, the lives of the workers and their families. Invariably, the ‘‘instant towns,”’ whose governing councils or. ‘committees are hand picked by the companies, give special tax ~ concessions to the industry. These charges were confirmed last week by the Gold River local of the Pulp and Paper Workers of Canada who have been on strike against the giant Tahsis company since July 24. The union charged that Gold River is a company town controlled by the company. ‘“‘The Tahsis Company is trying to starve us into submis- sion,’’ charged the local as it released a special report COPE to nominate The Committee of Progres- sive Electors (COPE) has rescinded its decision to run a full slate of candidates in the December municipal elections and will now run only half a slate. This was decided at a meeting of COPE’s Steering Committee held Sept. 13 following discussion of the NDP’s entry into civic politics. The Steering Committee’s decision is subject to ratification _ at the COPE Nominating Con- ference scheduled for Septem- ber 26. “COPE was established two years ago on the initiative of the trade union movement,’’ said _ Frank Kennedy, COPE president and chairman of the Metro- politan Affairs Committee of the Vancouver and District Labor Council. ‘‘Its purpose was to unite labor and progressive civic groups on a non partisan basis for participation in muni- . cipal elections. ‘“‘When the Vancouver NDP decided last spring to enter half a slate of candidates, we agreed to limit our slate also to half and to cooperate fully with the NDP in presenting one united slate to the electorate. However, the provincial council of the NDP ruled in August that the Van- couver NDP could not: seek alliance or agreement with any other group. “With the objective of unity still in mind, COPE next invited the Vancouver NDP to run its caiididates under the banner of COPE. However this too was partial civic slate rejected. The recent convention of the ‘Vancouver NDP decided to field its own slate without any alliance with COPE. This knocked on the head our hopes for a united slate. “We feel, however, that it is imperative to avoid any com- petitive struggle between COPE and the NDP in the coming civic ~ elections. This would only divide __ Electors the forces of the left and help big business interests, represented in City Hall by the Non Partisan Association (NPA) and The Action Movement (TEAM). “Voters seeking a change of administration do not want to be faced with two slates of candi- dates running against each other yet advancing similar programs. “We have therefore decided to rescind our previous decision to run a full slate, which was made before the NDP convention in August decided on a go - it - alone ~ policy, and we will now field only a partial slate. With eight candi- dates already in the field, COPE will now, in-the interests of unity, limit itself to the selection of six more, plus possibly a mayoralty candidate.” COPE candidates already nominated are alderman Harry Rankin, economist Bruce Yorke and letter carrier Ron Gomez for Council; Mrs. Peggy Chunn, office worker and Paul Mitchell, hospital orderly for School Board; and Sid Shelton, phar- micist, Ed Leong, electrical worker, and Donald Greenwell, electrical worker, for the Parks : Board. HEAR ~ WILLIAM KASHTAN Nat'l Leader-Communist Party “ONE MILLION JOBS” WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23rd — 8 P.M. NORDIC CENTRE 7820 — 6th St. — EAST BURNABY ALL WELCOME | Company towns born again under ‘instant town’ edict prepared by the Trade Union Research Bureau of Vancouver. The report said that the company has sought to create “the image of a progressive | model community. But public relations notwithstanding, Gold River in all essential aspects, is merely an updated version of a company town.” The report points out that Gold River is controlled and dominated by two ‘‘foreign, billion dollar giants — the East Asiatic Company of Denmark and the International Paper Company of the U.S.” It points out that: ‘‘The municipal council remains a ‘captive’ of the company even though it is now formally elected by the citizens.’’ Special exemptions have been granted the company. by the provincial government and at one time the council tried to exempt the company from having to pay some taxes altogether. Soon after the “‘instant town’”’ legislation was adopted by the Socred government, the Communist Party in B.C. condemned it as a further concession to the big foreign corporations, and as company towns in disguise which abrogate the democratic rights of citizens. It called for repeal of the legislation. The granting of ‘“‘instant town”’ privileges and concessions in the Ashcroft area to the Bethlehem Copper Corp and Valley Copper Ltd., who:are combined in the Lornex Mining Corp., means that undemocratic civic administration will be set up in the area. It will mean political domination by the monopolies. Although all terms of the cabinet order - in - council are not yet known, it is already clear that Lornex will follow in the footsteps of Gold River. * Under the latest order - in - council Crown (public) land to the tune of 87 acres will be turned over to Lornex for $10 an acre. This is choice land originally set aside as parkland in the Logan Lake area. It is also expected that the government will.approve another 200 to 250 acres in the near future for the townsite. ‘ The Ashcroft - Princeton - Merritt area is slated for extensive development. Some of the richest copper deposits in the world have been located there, and it is expected to become one of the most rapidly growing industrial areas in B.C. The Socred government’s plan, is to turn it into a giant empire for the Lornex Corp., which will exploit the huge ore deposits for export, while exercising political = control over the area through the setting up of undemocratic ‘instant towns’’ in which city councils will either be appointed or be completely under the domination of the company. ‘And once again, let me make this perfectly clear . . . no U.S. ground forces have died in combat in . . of natural causes.’ Laos . HUNDREDS OF NEW READERS FOR PT . The annual PT circulation drive is now in full swing and will last till the end of November. . To continue publication we need 1400 subs — in renewals, new readers and bundle sales during the next two months. . You can help the PT achieve this goal by renewing your own sub, by winning a new reader or by ordering an extra bundle of papers for sale or distribution. . The PT is the only paper which represents the interests of the exploited; the victims of big business in this province. . The PT is the only paper which presents the view of the working people in this province and stands in the forefront in the struggle for peace. HELP US BUILD PT CIRCULATION ED Classified advertising BUSINESS PERSONALS - HALLS FOR RENT NOW OPEN POLITANO’S BARBER SHOP 132 East Hastings St. (Closed Wednesday ) RUSSIAN This destruction of the REGENT. TAILORS LTD— province’s mineral resources along with the democratic and political rights of the workers and their families living in the area must be stopped. Instead of “instant towns’? proper munici- palities should be set up with full democratic rights for citizens, with the giant companies paying their full share in taxes to maintain decent services and » living conditions. Custom Tailors and Ready- to-Wear, 324 W. Hastings St. MU 1-8456 or 4441 E. Hastings —CY 8-2030. See Henry Ran- kin for personal service. PEOPLE’S HOME- Available for meetings, ban- quets and weddings at rea- sonable rates. 600 Campbell Ave. 254-3430. UKRAINIAN DRY CLEANING & LAUNDRY Also Coin-op LAUNDERETTE 2633 Commercial Dr. 879-9956 CANADIAN CULTURAL CENTRE — 805 East Pender St., Vancou- ver 4. Available for Banquets, Weddings, Meetings. Phone: 254-3436 CLINTON HALL, 2605 East Pender. Available for ban- quets, meetings, weddings, etc. Phone 253-7414. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1970—PAGE 11