a

Quebec trade union leaders, whose release from prison for their
leadership of last year’s great union struggles, will be one of major
demands raised at May Day rallies across Canada this weekend. They
are Yvon Charbonneau, Louis Laberge and Marcel Pepin.

AND SOME DISAPPOINTMENTS

Legislative session brought
substantial gains for people

By NIGEL MORGAN
B.C.’snew NDP government
took a number of significant
steps towards fulfillment of last
summer's election mandate
during the first full Session of
the province's 30th Legislature.

Despite its failure tocome to
grips decisively with those who
control the wealth of this richly-
endowed province, and some ob-
vious back-tracking oncertain
election promises, anumber of
important advances were re-
corded amongst the 94 bills
passed. It may have been a
‘black day,’ (as opposition
leader W.A.C. Bennett de-
scribed it) for the land specu-
lators, insurance racketeers
and the oil and mining tycoons
he represents; but, itmarkeda
new day for the great majority
of British Columbians.

There is widespread criticism
and disappointment in the labor

ginally came before the Legis-
lature.

Undoubtedly, there will be dis-
illusionment when the 1973 muni-
cipal tax bills appear shortly
with. sharp increases, and the
impact is felt of the NDP cab-
inet’s decision to retreat from
the campaign pledge to remove
the cost of education from the

‘tax on homes and the family

farm.

Tenants are bitter over what
they regard as a betrayal of
promises of legislative protec-
tion of their rights and needed re-
straints on exorbitant rent in-
creases. The lack of action on
proposals to bring the highly
profitable telephone and nat-
ural gas utilities under public
ownership has likewise caused
considerable concern, as did
Premier Barrett’s first bud-
get, which take $409 million
from the consumer’s pocket for
sales and gasoline taxes while
recovering less than half that
amount from resource income
(royalties, licenses, special
privileges, etc. )

On the positive side the govern-
ment stood its groundon Bill 42
despite strong pressure from
the land developers and real
estate interests and established
a five-member Land Com-
mission that will work with re-
gional districts and munici-
palities to designate agri-
cultural land reserves for
preservation and_ introduce
much needed planning and con-
trol on land use.

The government also brought
into being a new government

g nel
missil!
etro
ral

auto insurance plan,
Energy Act and com
with power to regulate P*
eum industry prices anda”
Development Corporatio!
stimulate secondary industtY.
It made a start at least" i
creasing the corporationlae
raised the. royalties 0 1"
amended the Mineral Land it
Act to increase revenues! ;
privately-owned mineral f
which could get at the long! ;
ing problem of railway Vat
land like the E & N belt 0”
couver Island. en
In the area of service
people, substantial incre’
welfare grants (not cha =.
since 1966) were enacted: )
come subsidy program sift
launched to aid the wor ig
poor: a $15 million land acd i
tion and research fund!0\";,
lic housing was creale®
creased allocations for ©”
tion and health services
passed; and beginnings | 9
made on anew $20 million
care program for Chl
retroactive home acqu?” i
loans and grants dating mn
1966 were extended to B.C:
tive Indians. : nah
Action on labor legislal? pit
the granting of collect nt
gaining rights to govel iol
employees was left ov!
fall session. Strong publ ed!
sure is going to be nee oti!
ensure action on this 4” ys
much needed changes ®
the repeal of the sales tax: pee!
A good beginning ha io%
made. Much more neé

done. an

Put teeth in

The Coordinating Committee

of Concerned Organizations
demonstrated again last Thurs-
day evening in front of Wood-
ward’s Stores demanding anend
to food profiteering.

At a meeting in Burnaby Tues-
day night wheremembers of the
coordinating committee were
present, Grace MacInnes, MP,
called for any prices review
board to have teeth todeal with
spiralling food prices.

MAY DAY movement that the Barrett
administration evaded action
GREETINGS MAY DAY to repeal the previous Socred
To all 2 government ’santi-laborlegis-
o all our comrades lation, even though it had vigor-
and friends GREETINGS ously opposed and had in fact
1973 voted against it when it ori-
VICTORY SQUARE CLUB
From -
= TRAIL CLUB MAY DAY
GREETINGS
MAY DAY
solidarity
to our brothers
GREETINGS MAY DAY and sisters of Quebec
To GREETINGS
Comrades From the B.C. Prov. Executive
and Friends SURREY CLUB YOUNG COMMUNIST
LEAGUE
EDMONDS CLUB a ey
GREETINGS MAY DAY
MAY DAY GREETINGS
GREETINGS PEACE &
To All
For Peace PROSPERITY Labor
and Progress
Ellen Greenwell FRASER INDUSTRIAL
WHITE ROCK CLUB Nanaimo CLUB
MAY DAY MAY DAY
GREETINGS GREETINGS
To All Progressive People
Everywhere
To All Our Socialism is Winning
Friends

TIMBER CLUB

The Padghams
of Popkum

from

May Day Greetings

to the Labor Movement

TRADE UNION RESEARCH

Ph. Mu. 1-5831

Rim Ure

Kaan

pa DEG. ae TREES

HON STRIKE

prices board

cot

A postcard drafted by moi
mittee is presently att ° ia
ers and will soon be ava cit
for mass distribution. © of!
— to be mailed to the 8 ig
ment by the thousands sets
the government ‘‘whe?
the prices review boat’ ‘etl
it power to halt profit 1
curb price increase> hilt
back prices on food, © iat
housing, drugs and othe @
sities of life wherevel u

be shown to be excessiV®

noe eng

‘PACIFIC TRIBUNE——FRIDAY; APRIL 27; 1973—PAGE 10