B.C. ELECTION :

‘Communist Party candidates:

‘New direction
needed for B.C.’

provincial legislation. Ogden also has a long
history in the peace movement, and is vice-
president of the B.C. Peace Council.

Vi Swann, a founding member of the i
Fraser Valley Peace Council and charter /
member of the Surrey Memorial Hospital
has worked for more than 40 years in the
Surrey community. She was one of the first q
to organize protests against the Socreds
health care cutbacks, and has twice been a
candidate for school trustee, receiving more
than 4,000 votes in the 1980 election.

Former staff member of the National
Union of Students and the B.C. Students
Federation, Communist Party regional
organizer Miguel Figueroa is running in Bur-
naby Willingdon. For the last four years he

acer meen. ny oe me a eee

Other immediate measures include:

@ Cancellation of the Northeast coal pro-
ject at Tumbler Ridge, which ‘‘ranks among
the great sellouts of Canadian history’’;

@ Placing B.C. Hydro under “public con-
trol’ to end the continued damming of
rivers, thermal power projects with the resul-
tant acid rain threat, and the eventuality of
nuclear power plants, all of which are con-
structed to sell cheap power to the ES.5
@ Nationalization of B.C. Telephone.

Over the longer term the Communist Par-
ty offers what it calls a “ten-year plan to
transform our economy.” The party cites
the situation where B.C. workers are jobless
while the province’s natural resources are

and ,

CP LEADER MAURICE RUSH running in Vancouver Centre. shipped out to be processed by the factories

Fe - bath polic of the United States and Japan. had been involved in campaigns for better

a5 five Communist Party candidates have turnaround of the Socred cutbac ea Nationalization of the mining, forestry rapid transit, low cost housing and other

Be as nominated to run in the provincial elec- — to the more long-term objective of B-C- and fisheries sectors, and the development of community issues, as well as international

e 4 n to put forward immediate solutionsto Communists. ; manufacturing is the answer, the Com- solidarity with South Africa liberation

ant | _3.C.’scrisis that no other party is advancing, Heading that list 1s jobs. In a province jn nists state. The plan includes a phase-out movements.

pons according to party leader Maurice Rush. with an estimated 300,000 workers on the oF all tree farm licences, the takeover of Organic farmer and District 70 school

ruis? The five — including Rush (Vancouver’ streets, the party demands ae ater MacMillan Bloedel and the creation of a trustee Gary Swann is an environmentalist

wm} Centre), fisherman and peace activist Bert ting layoffs and plant c BETS Ree major wood products industry. and fighter against the Socreds’ cutbacks in
operations which can justify taking those The Communist plan calls for all mining education and attacks on teachers. An ad-

 Ouver regional party organizer

‘Uvist Viola Swann

ae = Bes be running, party members will be
for distributing a leaflet outlining the CP’s housing units yearly, and a $100 million; S
d@| “Alternative program’” urging candidates to reforestation ean at union rates of pay. tine of scab labor, a guarantee of He ole
. of Speak out on the issues, said Rush oa 4 tive bargaining and the unrestricted right to
a : ; nee The leaflet also demands “immediate  ctrjke and picket.” All anti-labor legislation
e is The Communist Party position calls for protection”’ for the unemployed, seniors, just be repealed, and the principle of
a Unity to defeat the Socreds. They are the youth and single parents through price CON- equal pay for work of equal value must be
of@| Main enemy”’ and it would be ‘‘disastrous _ trols on necessities and rent controls, and — enchrined in legislation, the party asserts.
fart | i they were allowed to rule B.C. for another _ legislation ending foreclosures, along with The Communists fake a strong stand on
ness Our years,’’ said Rush. ' low-cost mortgages. the Native issue, calling for the settlement of
; fot : : And the provincial government should all land claims and for the “social and
city x “Most see the New Democratic Party as press Ottawa to extend Unemployment In- economic equality and self-determi anor
alternative — and we recognize that asa Surance benefits to cover the entire periodof for Native peoples.” It calls for a tough
cent | “fact,” he said. ‘“However, more is needed unemployment, and to chop the $8 billion j,yman rights code which would ban racist
and : an a simple change of government — a arms budget in half to free more needed groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the
i ew direction for B.C. is required. i ne ae services, the Communist —istribution of racist literature. =
: pias : :
a a “If we didn’t run, no one else would raise The party demands an end to the Socreds sarees eae aes 8 ee
im} py immediate and long-range changes “‘reactionary”” restraint program with the notes that the other measures “are designed
mar asserted. and calls for social service budgets to be in- Solve our pressing problems it " necessary 7 le xj : c 4
: : : ; dexed to inflation. > : : IOLA SWANN . . . running in Surrey.
The party’s election leaflet lists nine confront the giant corporations which -
hto| _Temedies for the province’s ailing economy, — dominate our economy and to carry through
it’s ranging from the immediate — a complete fundamental change on a national scale.
J of “Only socialism offers Canadians a
bright future of full employment, rising liv- _
rks ing standards, real security and democratic
Pat | : rights,”’ the leaflet concludes.
In-- Under the principle, “‘save a vote for the
iate. Communist Party,” party candidates are
blic contesting one seat in three two-seat ridings,
city plus two single-seat ridings.
Party leader Rush is running in Van-
aul couver Centre. A former editor of the
of Pacific Tribune, Rush has written extensive-
nae ly on energy policy, housing and other pro-
a vincial issues, and has a long history in com-
the munity struggles.
Peace activist and trade unionist Bert - a
aa Ogden is contesting one of the seats in Van- 4
couver East. He has a history in B.C.’s

Greater Van-
Fi Miguel °
‘igueroa (Burnaby-Willingdon), civic ac-
(Surrey) and school
trustee and farmer Gary Swann (Alberni) —
will bring before B.C. voters a nine-point
Program of employment, an end to cuts in
Social service and public control of natural
Tesources around the theme, ‘‘take B.C. out
Of the crisis.””

Inthe other 52ridings where Communists

Odgen (Vancouver East),

contesting seat in

GARY SWANN...
Alberni. Re

measures.

It’s aclear shot at corporations such as the
Noranda-owned Macmillan Bloedell, whose
shutdown of plants such as the Chemainus
mill takes place while the company is expan-
ding operations in low-wage areas outside
the province. Those which can not justify
closures should face nationalization of their
operations, states the CrPs

For immediate job-creation, the party
calls for a “‘re-vitalizing”’ of the housing in-
dustry through the construction of 50,000

contesting

BERT ODGEN
Vancouver-East.

to be nationalized along with the develop-
ment of a steel industry and ‘‘at least one
world class copper smelter and a copper
fabricating industry.”’ Sa
On fishing, the nationalization of B.C.
Packers and the processing of fish to the
point of retail sale, “vigorous conservation
and enhancement measures” and the strict
enforcement of international water boun-
daries are part of the Communist program.
The party calls for strong legislation to
protect labor’s rights, including the outlaw-

working class movement as a logger and
fisherman, and as safety and welfare direc-
tor of the United Fishermen and Allied

Workers Union, he has campaigned to in-
troduce safety regulations for fishermen in

- vocate of a new industrial strategy for the
Alberni Valley, the candidate for Alberni

holds a forestry diploma and has worked in

both forestry research and in logging,
sawmilling and pulp and paper, and has
campaigned for strict environmental con-
trols and secondary industry based on the
region’s forest resources.

<
=

Burnaby-Willingdon.

SUA -~ se baivd

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—APRIL 15, 1983— Page 3

Pa

MIGUEL FIGUEROA . . . candidate in

es atee