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Norman Freed

T IS SAID THAT politics is the art of the possible. It may be in the political cards

that neither of the old parties will be returned with a majority and that the NDP will emerge as the balance of power in the next Parliament. Such ‘an out- come is possible and desirable

-at this time.

Would it benefit Canada? The Communist Party believes this result would create the possibil- ity of influencing Parliament in a democratic direction, of win- ning domestic and foreign poli- cies in the interests of the people.

Political commentators have

dubbed this election as “unreal” ~

or “unwanted”. It is said the electors are apathetic, that over 35 percent are undecided.

What does this mean? It means people are disgusted with the antics of the old parties.

Prime Minister Pearson’s double-talk is a case in point. From one side of his mouth he talks about his minority govern- ment record. From the other side he pleads for a majority government.

Which is it? If the record of the minority government is so good, why is a minority bad? No wonder the electors are be- wildered and disgusted.

Let us look at the record. Most governments since Confe- deration have held the majority ig Parliament. But in 1921 the Liberals elected 117 members, Conservatives (Liberal - Conser- vative) 59, Progressives 64, Labor 3. In 1925-6, the result was Liberals 101, Conservatives 116, Progressives 54, Labor 2.

Important legislation , in the interest of the people was en- acted in this period. For exam- ple, while the Liberal Party at its 1919 convention promised old-age pensions, it failed to bring them in until J. S. Woods- worth and his colleagues held the balance of power in the Commons in 1926 and forced ac- tion on the promise.

In 1957 a Conservative minor- ity government was forced to introduce important legislation for the farmers — the Agricul- tural Stabilization Act, which provided price support, and the Prairie Grain Advance Payments Act concerning threshed gain held in storage on the farms.

That minority government also increased old-age pensions

to $55 per month, reducing the residence requirements from 20, to 10 years.

In 1962, under another Con- servative minority government, the people were for a consider- able time able to stall the in- stallation of U.S. nuclear arms on Canadian soil.

In the 1963-65 period, under the Liberal minority government, the people were able to win the Canada Pension Plan and the Canada Labor Standard Act. Parliament was ready to act on medicare.

The record is also full of ex- amples of. the disregard of people’s interests by old-line majority governments.

The Liberal majority of 1953- 57 is remembered for the pipe- line scandal, which set a.new low both in the economic. sell- out to the United States and. in trampling the rights of Parlia- ment. ~ :

The Conservative government of 1958-62 is remembered for its bungling of the Avro-Arrow and for its high-handed firing of the governor of the Bank of Canada.

The record speaks for itself. Under minority governments

answers the question:

the people were able to exert pressure to record gains that would not have occurred under majority governments of the old-line parties.

A good outcome on Nov. 8

will not come about by itself. It has to be fought for.

There is apathy toward the old parties; but it is not true that there is political apathy. People are concerned about ending the dirty war in Vietnam; about the need of steady econo- mic growth, about the need of 144 million new jobs by 1970.

They are concerned about the need for free education at all levels and the need for changes in the educational system to pre- pare our youth and retrain older workers’ to meet the challenges of automation.

People are concerned about the lack of low-cost housing, about price gouging by the monopolies, about the need of a total war against poverty, about decent retirement pensions and medicare.

People are concerned about Canada’s constitutional crisis.

These issues require full de- bate in the election, a debate

This photo shows a part of the throng of 500 marchers in Vancouver who protested on Oct. 16 against the U.S. war in Vietnam. People in action on questions of peace and social progress are looking for alternatives to the old parties, says the writer of this article. Their votes can be won for candidates who bring forward issues of deep concern in the election.

why a minority government?

that is vital for the outcome of the election and for the period after.

Of course each party will de- cide what issues to bring forw- ard and how to conduct its campaign.

Those who are looking for an alternative to old-party rule — the labor movement, progressive farmers, democratic circles of professional, intellectual and middle-class persons, students engaged in the fight for peace and searching for a new direc- tion for Canada — will first turn to the New Democratic Party.

This can mean votes on elec- tion day if the issues of deep concern to those seeking an al- ternative are vigorously brought forward by the NDP.

The Communist Party, which is part of the Canadian labor movement, shares the right of all sections of the labor move- ment to address constructive criticism toward the NDP in order to strengthen its role as a democratic alternative to the old parties.

It is not good enough for NDP candidates to emphasize that they have nice families and are nice, respectable fellows.

At its last convention the NDP adopted many worthwhile policy planks: the need to end the war in Vietnam; the need of an independent foreign policy of peace; proposals on economic growth, jobs, prices, automation, education, social welfare and poverty.

Would not the-NDP set itself clearly apart:from the old par- ties and make_a significant ad- vance on Nov. 8 by resolutely bringing forward these program planks now?

When the election is over it will be too late to indulge in postmortems about missed op- portunities of making substan- tial advances because of timidity and evasion.

There are no clear lines of demarcation between the old parties. This has produced dis- illusionment among the people. More and more of them are looking for an alternative, for new ideas and new policies.

This can bring new votes to the NDP and this is what the NDP should take advantage of in order to transform its election possibilities into a reality on Nov. 8.

- November 5, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 5