By HAZEL WIGDOR ‘We're militant, we'll keep our rights’--Huguette Plamondon ys no wonder the union had so many calls after the 30- year-old Huguette: Plamondon appeared on television. It was a newsworthy event when she . was re-elected as president of the Montreal Labor Council, the first woman on the North Am- - erican continent to -fill such a © ~ post. Besides, she manages to combine a natural charm in ap- pearance and manner with a dedication to her life in the labor movement which, she says, “is in,my blood.” She made big news again when she was chosen by the new Canadian Labor Congress . as vice-president for Quebec. This is the highest office ever attained by a woman on our continent. ‘ Quite conscious of this rare distinction, she said: “It was the most exciting day when our Quebec caucus elected me as the candidate for this office. It is a great honor.” m x a Through the week-long con- vention which saw the merging of Canada’s two largest centres - of labor, Huguette Plamondon maintained a heavy schedule, with no more than four hours sleep a night, and often less. Yet she still emerged on the closing day as fresh and keen on events as if she were just beginning, Her youth is on her side, but even more is her zest for her job of organizing and negotiat- ing on behalf of 5,000 workers, about one-fifth of them women, in the United Packinghouse Workers’ Union. “My participation in organiz- ing is not especially because of women in the industry,” she ex- plained. “I may be organizing in plants where there are no women at all.” Her own local happens to be an all-male one, the “Shochtim” (Jewish ortho- dox chicken killers) whose re- ligion prevents them from at- tending meetings as delegates. = lea * SH Her first activity in the labor movement was as an office worker, but hers was no 9-to-5 job behind a typewriter. She joined with others’ in support of the picketline at National Breweries. Later, in 1947, she was at ed with others for passing out leaflets prohibited by a Mon- treal bylaw. Powerful action, by the Montreal labor move- ment brought about the repeal of this legal handicap. Huguette came by her in- terest naturally. “My father has all his life been a unionist. But still he did not see why I should distribute leaflets early in the. morning : and get arrested.” While he opposed her youth- ful ambition to become a Jaw- “yer, on the grounds that a wo- man should not go in for so much education, she still recalls from her childhood how he worked only 37 days out of one year during the depression. Because of experiences such’ as this, and the “misery of some people I have seen,” she is de- 3 termined to fight against the return of the Hungry Thirties. x et bos i Huguette Plamondon sees the responsibility of government towards the problem of mar- ried working women. “When our unions have briefs we will need: to think more of HUGUETTE PLAMONDON, CLC vice-president for Quebec government nurseries, like I have heard they have in France. Women work not because they like it but because they need to. There should be free edu- cation from the beginning to the end — from nurseries to technical schools and universi- ties. “We women have rights, but we must fight for them. Did you see Pajama Game? This is a play where you see the woman _and how she has the power be- cause she see what she can do when she fights.” While she does not make any distinction by sex when she re- fers to organizing workers, still her attitude on these special needs of women will no doubt prove helpful in the future big job of organizing unorganized women in Canada — a new per- spective made possible by the merger, “Some English-speaking peo-: ple have the mistaken idea that we in Quebec are slow and backward. The should realize that we are militant, and that we will keep our rights. We are not this way because we are French Canadians, but because of our conditions. “Some managers take our wealth and profits, but even after 25 years they can’t even speak our language. Bi-lingual- ism is a two-way affair.” ’ shortage of recreational OPEN FORUM Letter of thanks LPP National Executive Com- mittee, Toronto Ont.: The na- tional executive committee of the Labor - Progressive party warmly thanks all those who voluntarily contributed toa fund to assist the dependents of Paul Phillips, the former treasurer of the LPP, whose untimely death occurred last November. Sports for youth STEPHEN ENDICOTT, Tor- onto: It is a generally accepted fact that there is a widespread and sports facilities for Canadian young people: The high incidence of eve ile déliquency is a_ reflection of this shortage. Also the lack of truly mass sports and recrea- tion activities is shown in the results of a survey conducted by Sports College of Canada recently, which revealed that only 14 percent of Canadian youth between the ages of 14- 19 are physically fit. National Federation of Labor Youth (of which I am secre- tary), along with an increasing body of public opinion, feel that in large nieasure concern over this responsibility must become a government responsibility. Instead of repealing the Na- tional Physical Fitness Act (June, 1954) the federal govern- ment should embark upon a bold program to assist sports and recreation activity. With 1956 being an Olympic year this is a most opportune time to start. We support: the suggestion which has been put forward by a number of trade unions and other groups for a $10 million sports and recreation program by the federal government. Natal grievances CITIZEN, Natal, B.C.: Natal is a miners’ town. This spring is nice and warm, the sun shines, - people go for long walks. And always -they look up at the mountains, guess how deep the Now: hear this eee HE arrest this week of Goodman Florence, Van- couver business consultant, on a charge of having by “de- ceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means” bilked in- vestors of some $200,000 in amounts ranging from $500 to $9,000, recalls a half-forgot- ten page in the early history of the CCF here.’ Back in 1935 the Common- wealth was a flourishing paper with a circulation of _ 20,000 weekly. It even pub- lished a Saskatchewan edition which had some 1,200 readers. Although most ‘people re- garded it as the official CCF paper, the actual control was held by a right-wing group centred’ around Bill Pritch- ard, the publisher. The elec- ted CCF executive passed only on the editorials. The incident which pre- cipitated the abortive break- away of Rev. Robert Connell, first CCF provincial leader, J. S. Taylor, then MP for Nanaimo, Jack Price, then CCF MLA for Vancouver East and later a Non-Partisan alderman in Vancouver, and ‘others to form the Social Re- construction party, was the walkout of the Common- wealth staff over Pritchard’s*, refusal to turn over to the CCF executive a controlling block of stock held in es- crow. As the news got around that Pritchard had “fired” those he considered to be the ringleaders of the walkout and was refusing to turn control over to the CCF exec- utive, the paper’s circula- tion fell by the thousands. _No one in the circumstances could have- put the paper back on its feet. The ground of popular support had been cut from under it. But Prit- ehard tried desperately to continue publishing. He per- suaded various right-wing- ers, including MPs and MLAs to put in still more money. And the man he called in as business manager was Good- man Florence. The Commonwealth’s big- ‘hundreds of CCFers were gest asset, financially speak- ing, was its rambling old building on Hamilton Street (on which there was a sub- stantial mortgage). To the bewilderment of some and the astonishment of all, Florence proceeded to ren- ovate the building. When the Commonwealth quietly foided a short time later the mortgage company got the appreciated property — and left holding their neatly en- graved shares. * * + It used to be frozen prices. Now, according to a headline’ in the May 1 issue of the Fisherman, it’s “Fresh, frozen conciliation board chairman still to be named.” * * * The Vancouver Province, which went to town this week when its city editor, Bruce Larsen, obtained the release of an Oakalla guard held by three prisoners, isn’t the only paper that makes news. No sooner had the CBC made its suggestion for return of radio licenses to the Royal Com- mission of Broadcasting than the Vancouver Sun found eight “indignant citizens” to plug its anti-CBC obsession. MAY 11, 1956 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE # snow is, and wonder if Michel - Creek will overflow and do the kind of damage it did in 1948. The Crow’s Nest Pass Coal Company dumps its vast amount — of waste under the tipple on the. river bank. ‘When the water rises it washes it away, making an empty space again — but all of this waste lies on the bottom of the creek, and builds it up higher. Since 1948 the creek . was deepened once by the provin- cial public works department, and there has been no flood problem. But for the past sev- eral years no one has paid any attention to the creek and who knows what could happen this year? Pete Zoratti moved to Leth- bridge but he is still the bess of the water works. in Natal, and every month we pay our high water rates. It was 4 hard and cold winter and no water was coming from Eastside * Mountain (as they call No. 8) so an electric pump had to be used to supply water from the well. But as soon as the thaw camé the pump was stopped and we began getting water from the creek. : It’s just as wet as from the well, but it washes dirt from the mountain, and the dirt comes through our taps. People have to pay for it just the same, no matter if it’s clear or dirty: as long as it’s wet. Padlock law sine PAUL NORMANDIN, Mos- treal: I am enclosing a declara- tion ‘signed by citizens who ask for the repeal of the Quebe — Padlock Law, and which I hope will be endorsed by many oth- ers. In view of the important nat- ure of the question of civil rights involved I would respectfully request the publication of this signed declaration as a_ lettet to the editor in your valued newspaper. ; es bos nm “We, the undersigned, as CaB- — adians of various creeds ai! opinions, believe that the Pad- lock Law of the Province of Quebec conflicts with the basi¢ principles of our common heri- tage of freedom and democracy: | “This law violates British and natural justice. It results invasion of property and civl rights without laying of charges: with no trial, and no opportun- ity for defense. It replaces th€ normal protection of the courts with the personal decision of whatever politician may be 18 office as Attorney General. “We therefore believe that this law should be repealed.” (Among B.C. signers of thé above declaration are listed CCF leader of the Opposition, Robert Strachan; CCF MLAs Calder, Rae Eddie, Tony Gar- grave, Randolph Harding, Frank ‘Howard, William Moore, | _ Nimsick, Vincent Segur, Job® Squire, ‘Arther Turner, Arno Webster and E. E, Wineb; Vancouver Sun columnist BarTY Mather; and former Vancouve® mayor Dr. Lyle Telford.) Thanks to Effie STRAPHANGER, Vancouve!: B.C.: The Vancouver He quotes Alerman Orr and report that the city has appointed on€- — time city engineer C. H. Brack — enridge to study the B.C, Elec- tric’s proposed gas rates. This — action arose out of Effie Jon representations at the time % — the last hearing. So it’s thanks ' again to Effie ! !