ee

services.

ben

A federal election is likely sometime this year. :

Who will form the next government is very much on people’s minds.

What outcome would best serve the interests of the Canadian
People and Canada? And what would be the worst outcome?

The worst possible outcome of the federal elections would be the election
of a neo-conservative government, a government representing the most
reactionary, anti-democratic sections of big business and the multi-nationals.

Such a government would undertake a vicious attack on the working people. It would

lve support to the monopoly drive to compel concessions from working people by
Cutting wages and standards. It would attack trade union rights. It would slash social

The main political force of this neo-conservatism is the Progressive Conservative
Party. It is the American party in Canada.

If the Gallup (and other) polls are to be believed a Progressive Conservative
Majority government may be the outcome of the coming federal election.

Would that be good for Canada? In this article the Communist Party discusses the
coming elections and the alternate path Canadians can follow.

§

NEO-CONSERVATIVE ECONOMIC
POLICY

So far Mr. Mulroney has been careful
Not to elaborate the policies for which the
neo-conservatives seek power.

However he has indicated that a
ne€o-conservative government would
Support the economic and foreign policies
of the Reagan administration — all down
the line.

What are these policies?

On the economic front Reaganism has
Tuthlessly taken from the people to give to
the rich and the military industrial
complex. This policy was supposed to
Overcome the recession and lead to
recovery. However the so-called recovery
inthe USA is a ‘‘pre-election recovery”’.
Increasingly signs multiply to show that
the Tecovery is mainly for the corporations
and the rich. It is unstable and not long
lasting. What We see is recovery of profits
but not recovery of jobs and living
Standards.

The Reagan administration is out to lick
the crisis by passing it on, not only to the
American people but also to its allies
through high interest rates and by
Protectionist policies. These policies
directly harm Canada and make it more
difficult to pull out of the recession.

The Reagan administration is pursuing a
8et-tough policy with Canada — from
nergy to acid rain, from the fisheries -
treaty to the Garrison Dam.

‘ The Mulroney line is the U.S. Reagan —
liné — it will sell out Canada. The
Mulreagan line is not a line Canadians can
or should support.

MR. REAGAN WANTS WAR —
DOES MR. MULRONEY?
Mr. Mulroney’s unqualified support of

U.S. foreign policy is equally dangerous to
Canada and to world peace.

Present U.S. foreign policy threatens a _
-turn from cold war to hot war.

Deployment of U.S. Cruise and Pershing
II missiles in Western Europe directed
against the Soviet Union and other
Socialist countries has added to the danger

of nuclear war. By invading and

intervening in other countries in the most
brutal fashion U.S. imperialism has
further aggravated international tension.
The accelerated arms race pursued by the*
Reagan administration has taken the USA
On the road to a militarized state.

Instead of separating Canada from such
a dangerous foreign policy Mr. Mulroney
Supports it. In fact he proposes that
Canada too take the road of increased
militarization. ;

This is a dangerous policy for Canada,

_ for the Canadian people, for world peace.

_ CRISIS IN LIVING
The neo-conservative proposals to
“solve”’ the crisis of living problems
facing the Canadian people are likewise -

dangerous and unsupportable. Leaving it

to private enterprise to get Canada out of —

the crisis and provide jobs is like looking
for the never-never land. This is the sure
road to ever higher unemployment, to
further reductions in living standards,
ever-growing attacks on trade union
rights. It is aroad which would make the
rich even richer and the poor, still poorer.

The Tory policy of an open door to
foreign investments would further
strengthen U.S. control over the Canadian
economy. It would further limit the ability
of the Canadian people to determine their
own policies. The proposal to curtail or
eliminate the National Energy Program
and the Foreign Investment Review Act
would further tighten the grip of the U.S.
multi-nationals over Canada.

Their proposal for free trade with the
USA would lead to the integration and
eventual absorption of Canada by the
USA.

4
The neo-conservatives do not hide their
intention to impose a means test on family

allowances and pensions, or to cut

unemployment insurance — all part of an
anti-labor bias to ensure a docile and
cheap labor reserve for the monopolies in
this country.

It is well to note that while Mr.
Mulroney says he supports Medicare and
an end to extra billing and user fees, Tory
governments in almost all the provinces
oppose the strengthening of Medicare.

It is also well to note that while Mr.
Mulroney claims to support bilingualism
in Manitoba, the Tory party in that
province works to prevent it.

The Tories speak from both sides of
their mouth.

How much reliance could the Canadian
people place on Mr. Mulroney and the

_ heo-conservatives if they were to be

|Unite to defeat the
drive to the right

- elected as the government of Canada?

The answer is: NONE!

Some people think that by changing
from the present Liberal government to a
neo-conservative majority government
things will get better for Canada and her
people.

However such a change is like jumping
from the Liberal frying pan into the Tory

fire. It would make a bad situation worse. —

REAL CHANGE NEEDED

What the times call for is REAL
CHANGE. New priorities must be
established. Instead of putting profit first
the people and Canada must be put first.

Canada needs a policy of full
employment. We need a policy which will
put an end to U.S. control over the
Canadian economy through
nationalization of U.S. branch plants in
Canada combined with nationalization of
natural resources and the banks. This
would open the door to all-sided, balanced
and planned economic development in all
parts of Canada.

CP leader William Kashtan

election of a neo-conservative majority
government?

The Communist Party believes such
conditions exist.

If the NDP, the Parti Nationaliste in
Québec, the Communist Party, the Native
peoples, the trade union and farm
movements, the peace movements, the
ecological movements, youth and women
were to unite their forces on the electoral
front, it would be possible to elect a larg

1

“4

3 “; 3 < i $: a 5
NON Aux pancessor
; FAISONS PAYER . .

be A

< Hae

The technological revolution must
benefit the people not the corporations.
This can be done by reducing hours of
work with no reduction in take-home pay,
by extended holidays or earlier
retirement. Pensions must be increased.
Working people must have a say over
technological change rather than being its
victims. &,

We need a policy to defend the family
farmer and ensure a guaranteed income
for farmers. ;

We need a policy to ensure full equality
for women in all fields of endeavour from
the work place to political life.

We need a policy to ensure a future for
the young generation of our country.

We need a policy of extended trade,
scientific and cultural relations with the
Soviet Union and other socialist countries
and with the third world.

We need a policy which recognizes the
right to self-determination for Québec as
well as self-government for the Native
peoples and the right to their lands.

Our country needs an independent
foreign policy for peace, detente and
disarrmament. This would add Canada’s
voice to the peoples of the world for the
prevention of nuclear war, for an end to
the armaments race and for parity and
equality of security for the USA and the’
USSR and for all countries.

As steps in this direction Cruise testing
in Canada must be annulled, Canada
declared a nuclear weapons free zone,
arms production replaced by production
for peace. :

These are policies which the
Communist Party fights for today and will
fight for during the elections and after.

CAN THE DRIVE TO THE RIGHT BE
- PREVENTED?

Are there possibilities to bring together
a progressive coalition which could help
elect enough MPs so as to prevent the

?

enough progressive group to parliament.

A large progressive group in parliament
would deny majority government to the
neo-conservatives. Backed by a powerful
people’s movement it would compel
legislation in the people’s interest.

This is the real challenge before Canada
today. : .

The Communist Party of Canada will”
nominate 50 or more candidates Bi
throughout the country to fight for such
new policies and for the unity essential for
the election of a large progressive group to
parliament.

The stakes are high in the coming
federal election. Canadians face:

e The choice of Reaganite policies which
the neo-conservatives and the Progressive
Conservative party support.

e Or the status quo which the Liberals
advocate.

e Orreal change by the election ofa
large progressive group including
Communists to parliament.

The media and the polls are trying to
spread the defeatist idea among working
people that a neo-conservative majority
government is inevitable.

This need not be.

It will not be, provided that the

' progressive forces throughout the country

unite in every constituency, combine
economic action with political action,
parliamentary struggle with
extra-parliamentary struggle, and center
all these actions around the fight for
peace, jobs and Canadian independence.
Such a progressive coalition around new

policies is worth working for and worth

fighting for. 4

Unite to stop U.S. imperialism — for
peace, jobs and Canadian independence
— Put Canada First!

Central Executive Committee,
Communist Party of Canada.
March 1984

PACIFIC TRIBUNE, APRIL 4, 1984 e 5

‘se