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