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New Year greeting

The Editorial Board wishes to thank our many supporters who
made publication of the PT possible in 1968 and to extend best wishes
for the New Year. We look forward to continued and growing support
for our paper in 1969.

The PT is appearing as a 4-page edition this. week because of the
uncertainty of mail deliveries at this time of year, and the problem
involved in ensuring that the national supplement would arrive on time
from Toronto to be included.

There will be no paper next week, Christmas week, as is our usual
custom. However, we will return to normal publishing in the New Year
with our first regular 12-page edition on January 3.

EDITORIAL
Balance sheet for '69

|! is customary at this season of the year nearing its

end to summarize some of the major events which
have marked its passing, and to attempt some forecast of
what the New Year may hold in store for humanity and
peaceful progress.

Perhaps the most outstanding event as far as peace and
human wellbeing are concerned, thanks to the matchless
heroism, courage and sacrifice of the Vietnamese people,
backed by an ever-growing body of world opinion, U.S.
predatory imperialism has been compelled to sit down at the
peace conference table in Paris — the last thing Washington
ever expected or wished to happen, except on its own terms.
There it strives to delay and disrupt, just as it did in North

Korea, but it cannot avoid inevitable defeat. The year 1969 may
(happily) see an end to U.S. aggression and genocide in
Vietnam.

Another highlight of 1968 was the attempt of U.S. and
Western imperialism to tear Socialist Czechoslovakia out of
the Socialist community of Europe, thereby hoping to open the
door to another German (West) ‘‘Drang nach Osten’’ (drive to
the East) and thus set the stage for World War 111 against the
Soviet Union and its socialist allies; a diabolical scheme,
nipped in the bud by the timely (regretable but necessary)
action of the Warsaw Pact countries.

In Canada itself and in B.C., two integrated events in all
probability mark the highlights for 1968; the federal election
which gave the nation as a whole a massive pipeful of ‘‘pot’’,
better known as Trudeaumania with its grand illusion of a
*‘Just Society’? — which is already seen by those recovering
from the effects of this political “‘pot’’ as being “‘just’’ only for
the big monopoly interests, who promoted Trudeaumania in
the first place.

As far as labor is concerned in this ‘‘Just Society”’ the
highlight of 1968 is marked by the unprecedented attacks upon
labor’s economic and social standards, now accentuated by
restrictive anti-labor legislation, some still in the “‘planning”’
stage, some already operative.

In Ontario the Rand Report recommendations which would
put labor back to the status of a voicelss peonage, and in B.C.,
Bill 33, designed to shackle labor with a compulsory arbitration
ball-and-chain, reminiscent of chattel slavery days. And worse
yet, the success of a labor-hating Social Credit regime to bribe
and corrupt prominent “‘labor leaders’’-(?) with a fat salary to
assist in clamping the shackles of Bill 33 upon their own class.

How all those highlights of 1968 may fare in the coming
New Year is anyone’s guess, but there are all the elements of
victory for labor and the people in 1969, providing their great
potential of strength is mobilized and united to face the tasks
which lie ahead.

To win peace in Vietnam by compelling the U.S.
aggressors to ‘‘talk peace’’ and get their murderous divisions
out of Vietnam — as a preliminary for peace everywhere.

To let Prime Minister Trudeau know in no uncertain terms
that the myth of his “Just Society’? has exploded; that
Canadians want a Just Society which will provide equal
opportunity for all — not just a privileged few.

And probably most important of all; for labor to make 1969
its “Year of Mobilization’ to meet and break the frontal
monopoly-government attacks upon its social and economic
standards — and its hard-won fundamental freedoms.

Labor and the people have the strength to win victory in
1969. All that is needed is the unity and will to reach out for it.
May 1969 see the achievement of these desirable goals — upon
which only a lasting peace and prosperity for all can be built.

SSSSRER eee STS

‘West Coast edition, Canadian Tribune

Editor—TOM McEWEN Associate Editor—MAURICE RUSH
Published weekly at Ford Bldg., Mezzanine No. 3, 193 E. Hastings St.,
Vancouver 4, B.C. Phone 685-5288.

Subscription Rate: Canada, $5.00 one year; $2.75 for six months.
North and South America and Commonwealth countries, $6.00 one year.
All other countries, $7.00 one year. Authorized as second class mail by the

._Pacitic Tribune

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CIVIC ELECTION COMMENT -

Big problems ahead for
Vancouver in coming yed

By ALD. HARRY RANKIN

My sincere thanks to the many
hundreds of people who
campaigned on my behalf during
the recent civic election
campaign and to the over 52,000
voters who elected me to my
second term on City Council.

The Vancouver Sun predicted
editorially just before the
election that the Committee of
Progressive Electors (COPE)
would elect so few candidates
that they ‘‘may be able to caucus
‘with ease in a phone booth”.
That prediction turned out to be
only too true. I awas the only
COPE candidate to be elected.
But then, the Sun didn’t do too
well with its own.candidates.

In spite of extravagantly
generous publicity, the Sun-
backed TEAM candidates
elected only five candidates and
it wouldn’t take such a big phone
booth to hold them.

COPE made a good showing, I
think, considering that it was a
‘new group, little known to
electors, and that it received
scant publicity in the daily press.
It did succeed in focusing
-attention on key issues such as
housing, rapid transit, freeways,
expansion of educational
facilities and reduction in taxes.

COPE plans to become a year
round organization, partici-
pating actively in civic affairs.
That is a good thing. I’ve always
been a firm believer in the idea
that candidates aspiring to
public office should earn the
right to run for civic office
through public service in com-
munity groups.

Certainly there won’t be any
lack of issues in 1969. Already
plans are afoot to give the CPR
$15 million worth of city owned
land on False Creek for $3

million. Real estate interests,
including the CPR, are pressing
for freeways through our
downtown area. Early in the
New Year we will be faced with
another increase in taxes on
homes, as well as rent hikes.
Housing is as desperately needed
as ever, as are rental regu-
lations to protect tenants.

These are all good issues for
COPE to take up. With the active

backing of the NDP, trad
unions, homeowners an
tenants, it could become '
powerful and constructive f0

in civic life. 1969 could be 4
exciting year for Vancouver.

I would like to wish you all
happy holiday season. Good luck
in the New Year, and here
hoping we’ll see you many times
at Council with a delegation! z

ges
Pa
SP Ke
FARR
a. vey

§ GROCERIES ka) j

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ABE”,

ony ge:

The Agitators

‘Here’s what vote showed

Alderman Harry Rankin’s vote
held up well in the December
11th civic election. He received
52,000 votes out of a total of
112,000 votes giving him 47% of
the popular vote. Rankin ran
fourth with ten to be elected and
thirty-five candidates in the
field. He topped the poll in 31 of
the 54 polls in the East End of the
city.

In 1966 he received 44,000 votes
out of 88,000 (50% ) running third
with ten to be elected out of a
field of 29 candidates.

The vote of James MacFarlan,
on the other hand, showed a
sharp decline. This year he
scored 32,000 votes out of 112,000
or 36%. He ran 16th with 23
candidates contesting the nine
school board seats.

In 1966 MacFarlan received
49,000 out of 88,000 votes (567% )
running ninth with nine to be
elected and 12 candidates in the
field.

The five COPE aldermanic
candidates (exclusive of Harry
Rankin) received an average
vote of 16,000 or 14% of the
popular vote. The three COPE
school board candidates

(exclusive of James MacFarlan)

received an average of 27,000
votes or 23% of the popular vote.
The four COPE parks board
candidates had an average vote
of 17,500 giving them 16% of the
popular vote.

A significant feature of the
election was the large increase
in the popular vote, rising from
34.5% of eligible voters in 1966 to
44% this year. Much of the
increased vote was brought out
by the vote on fluoridation
which: became an emotionally
charged issue in the campaign.
The increased vote appeared to
have benefited the NPA. The

‘ Following the Vancouver
election Ald. Harry Rankin said
in a statement that the New
Democratic Party should join
with COPE to form a cohesive
force in the next civic election.
“The NDP are and should be a
logical component of COPE,’’
he said.

In this year’s election the
NDP did not run a slate, but
many prominent members
allowed themselves to be tied
up with the Liberal sponsored
TEAM group, thuss plitting the
labor vote between COPE and

TEAM.

trend in the election was strongl
for the incumbents.
TEAM elected only five cam
dates, far less than expected PY
its big business spons?
including the Sun and Provine”
which provided it with unlimited
free publicity and edit
support. e,
The COPE vote was
under the circumstances, consi®
ering that it entered th
campaign rather late and
program and candidates wel
played down and red-baited ‘by
the daily press. Its mos!
important contribution to !
campaign was that of focusi
public attention on basic civ}
issues. ay

“The election results were
good,’ said COPE campai”

recognize that this wa
start and the big job is
ahead. We must continue
work on community issues 02
year round basis, broadening
support and emphasizing
working people that they have
the power to reform
“transform City Hall if they
as a class for progressive cal
- dates, including trade unionists