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Vancouver Labor Council decided Tuesday this week to organize a labor lobby to Ottawa within the next week to press the govern- ment for an extension of Unemployment Insurance supplementary

Vol. 18 No. 19

“aoe Phone MUtual 5-5288

Authorised as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa

VANCOUVER, B.C.

10c

FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1959

LPP protests RCMP

invasion of civil rights

“TORONTO — The Labor-Progressive Party’s national executive committee this week wrote to Justice Minister Fulton protesting against activities of the RCMP which interfere with

the civil rights of the people.

The LPP letter mentioned a story by Pierre Berton which appeared recently in the Tor- onto Star, about a Finnish women who was approached by the RCMP and asked to become a _ stool-pigeon. Over many years she had been de- nied her citizenship papers be- cause of her activities in a progressive organization.

“Labor, Unite—Smash Bill 43!” read the leading banner carried by members of the 1959 May Day Committee.

Following the banner Sun- day in a successful revival of Vancouver’s traditional May Day parade were more than a

thousand marchers — wood- workers, longshoremen, car- penters, pipefitters, shipyard workers, painters, fishermen,

clerks, housewives.

At the Outdoor Theatre in Exhibition Park some _ 2,000 people listened to May Day

“We have also had

many occasions to learn of other forms of police interference

with the rights of citizens,” said the LPP letter.

Justice Minister Fulton was asked to instruct the RCMP to cease its “cowardly intimi- dation of citizens and residents of this country.”

speeches by Bill Stewart of Marine Workers, Don Guise of Civic Employees Outside Workers, Alex Gordon of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers, and Nigel Morgan, provincial leader of the La- bor-Progressive Party.

The parade, first to be held since 1956, formed up at Powell Street Grounds short- ly after noon, and marched off at 1 p.m. sharp.

“For trade and peace, recog- nize China,” proclaimed a banner carried by a delega-

benefits which are due to end May

demand some 9,000 jobless in the Vancouver area will be thrown on the breadlines be- fore the end of the month.

The lobby will consist of officials of WLC, the B.C. Federation of Labor, the CLC representative here, and a delegate from every local un- ion affiliated to the WLC which desires to take part. In addition to fighting for exten- sion of supplementary bene- fits, the delegation will urge the government to take action to provide jobs, and ask the Canadian Labor Congress to convene a conference on un- employment immediately.

“Labor- councils from coast to coast should join with us and make this a mass lobby,” said Bill Stewart (Marine Workers), “After May 15 the Diefenbaker government will tell us that 9,000 workers must have found jobs in Vancouver, because they are no longer on Unemployment Insurance rolls..That’s the way the gov- ernment operates—and _ that’s why government figures on unemployment can’t be trust- ed.”

“In this city many’ unem- ployed are sleeping in boxcars and under bridges,” declared Fred McNeil (Longshoremen).

Continued on back page

See LABOR LOBBY

tion of unionists.

“Trade with China!” de- manded Local 507, Interna- tional Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union.

“Unity of every worker,” said a sign in Chinese. on a decorated car entered in the parade by the Chinese Work- ers Protective Association.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 170 called for support of the IWA strikers in New- foundland. “Fight slavery — fight Smallwood,” one of their banners read.

These two youngsters marched with their mother the

15. Should Ottawa refuse this

May Day parade Sunday, carrying a placard and a balloon protesting the high cost of living caused by Canada’s participation in the armaments race.

2,000 take part in May Day parade and rally

A big jobless delegation car- ried a multitude of signs re- minding the Diefenbaker gov- ernment of their plight:

“We can’t eat promises.”

“We want work with trade union wages.”

“T voted for Dief. I'm in grief.”

“I followed John—now my money is gone.”

And the Unemployed Action Committee sign said Canada’s jobless wanted, “Jobs — not guns.”

Members of the Labor-Pro-

— how

gressive Party marched be- hind their banner and called for peace and+ jobs on num- erous placards:

“Public works — not Bo- mares.”

“No more nuclear tests.”

“Keep missile bases out of Canada.”

“For peaceful co - existence and trade with China.”

A contingent of housewives carried empty shopping bags painted with these reminders

Continued on page 3 See MAY DAY

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