ELECTION

Jobs, pe

Prime Minister John Turner called an elec- tion for Sept. 4 telling the press “The people of Canada want an opportunity to clear the air:”’

All political parties immediately welcomed the opportunity to enter the election fray for the next 55 days and campaign machinery is now in motion.

Among the parties ready to take the cam- paign to the hustings is the Communist Party of Canada with 53 canadidates named and its platform, “Put Canada First! Unite to Stop the Drive to the Right!”

Communist Party leader William Kashtan

outlines the issues facing Canadians in this

July 11 Tribune interview:

It’s interesting to note that big business said yesterday that what they want is. a majority government to implement “tough decisions.” The question is: what kind of tough decisions do they have in mind?

It’s clear what they want. Whether it’s a Liberal or Tory majority government because they finance both parties, they want a government dedicated to carry through the basic line of big business. This means maintaining high unemployment in the name of fighting inflation. It means mea- sures to “discipline” the working class in the name of capitalist competition — as is seen in the union-busting, wage-cutting drive in B.C. and Alberta. .

Coincident with that statement by big

business was a remark by Alberta Minister

of Manpower Isley saying that unemploy- ment is good for the economy and arguing against a full employment policy. And on CBC-TV’s Journal, appearing with Liberal and NDP spokespersons, the Tory repre- sentative McAleer argued that a Conserva- tive government would replace the present Liberal management of Canada with “the . installation of a new group of corporate managers.”

He puts it on the line. ;

This is the “change” the Conservatives have in mind. But it’s not what Canadians have in mind or would want.

On this basis the question: what are the main issues in this election? ~ ‘

Two Key Issues

In our view there are two priority ques- _ tions before Canada: One, the pursuit of economic policies leading to full employ- ment, two, policies to make Canada a pow- erful voice for the prevention of nuclear war — which means speaking up against the Reagan course in foreign policy as: it means opposing Reagan’s high interest rate policy, due to his militarization policy, which undercuts any limited recovery begun in Canada.

Tied in with this is the need for a real redistribution of income in favor of working people, a real battle against poverty, a real struggle for women’s equality, real mea- sures to Overcome unemployment afflicting the young generation and a host of demo- cratic issues which need addressing.

Our party will make these issues and our views on them known to as many Canadi-

ans as we can. We are limited only by limited funds and the extent to which the

mass media prevents our viewpoint from.

being widely heard. -

Here I would appeal-to Tribune readers: ‘because of the exceptional importance of this election, I urge you to get into this campaign, to help the Communist Party

and its candidates put our message forward. °

Our aim in this election, around these

two priority issues, is to prevent the election:

of either a Tory or Liberal majority government. We believe this is the way to stop the drive to the-right. ; This can best be achieved if a large group of progressive candidates are elected as the balance of power in the new Parliament. We think this is possible and necessary. ; To achieve this calls for co-operation among all progressive forces, particularly between the Communist Party and the

4 PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JULY 18, 1984

TRIBUNE PHOTO — MIKE PHILLIPS

NDP. We would welcome every step that leads toward such co-operation.

Within this framework, where we do not run, we will give critical support to NDP candidates; critical support because we have differences with the NDP and the limita- tions of its program. :

Capitalism Indicted

The present situation makes clear that capitalism can’t solve the burning problem of unemployment. It has no clear answers. This is an indictment of capitalism.

Capitalism seems able to guarantee prof- its, but it cannot guarantee work, an end of poverty, an end of inequality, or that Cana-

‘dians won’t lose their homes and farms. ~

The Communist Party in this campaign

| will also advance the need for Canada to

come to grips with the need for a restructur- ing of the system, without which there are

no assurances of real progress. Canada and Peace

The role Canada can play for peace is the other main issue we will bring forward. It is expressed particularly in the need to annual cruise testing, to make Canada a nuclear weapons-free zone and to prevent the pro- cess of militarization underway which will make our country an adjunct to Reagan’s policies with all their dangerous consequen- ces. Tying Canada to Washington’s war machine will distort our economy, create

inflation and add to the dangers to Cana--

da’s security. Tory ‘Promises’

Mulroney says his new government will create 200,000 new jobs. It reminds me of another Tory leader, R.B. Bennett, who told Canada during the crisis of the 1930s, if elected he would eliminate unemployment in 60 days. pea

He became prime minister and: history shows he didn’t eliminate unemployment. He added to unemployment and created

extremely difficult conditions for the Cana-

dian people. _Mulroney’s promises are like Bennett’s,

simply hot air. The Conservative’s own task

force finding July 9 exposed this when they report unemployment will stay above 10 per cent until the-year 2000. A

The fact is, unemployment under capital- ism has become a long-term permanent mass phenomenon. This emphasizes the need for structural changes to alter this ter- rible situation. ;

Job Creation

The Communist Party proposes a_ number of immediate measures for job

ace, top issues in vote

creation which would lead toward full employment.

- © Reduction of hours of work without reduction in take-home pay. This could

open the doors of industry to additional.

people;

® Increases in pension payments and ear-

lier voluntary retirement which could be possible if pension payments were raised. This, too, would open up thosuands of jobs;

@ An end to the present restraint pro- gram which has brought on the recession,

coupled with a massive public investment

program would open the door to Canada- wide economic development.

These three immediate steps would create hundreds of thousands of jobs now.

The government’s plea that money is not

available is false. They can find money to

hand out to corporations and waste on use- less military spending. The funds are there,

particularly if nationalization of the banks.

freed their vast resources to be used for massive investment. “.

This would create jobs.

Other steps are needed — steps to res- trict capital export and use of these funds for the development at home; an end to massive imports of machinery from the U.S. and creation of-a Canadian machine tool industry would also create new jobs for our people. :

Even within the limits of capitalism it is

evita: %

Kashtan (centre) talks to reporters at news conference in Toronto July 11.

possible to begin coping with mass une ployment and declining living stan by which in turn worsen the economic criss reducing people’s purchasing power. Our program also proposes a massivt public housing program and the ee of trade with the socialist countries 47” indeed with the world, rather than our pil* ent one-sided dependence on the U.S.

We argue there are measures that cal i taken now which could help overcome aly present crisis, while pointing out that y socialism can achieve full employment.

Communist Campaign

I will be travelling across Canada dunit’ this campaign, beginning with a visit 4 Windsor and Quebec, followed by a W& erm tour to B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewa® and Manitoba, and then trips to various Ontario centres where our party has cand! dates. Final dates are being worked out. —

We will advance our program and pop4 larize it in every way we can. This crucual campaign because key questio® required fighting out. It’s not a popular} contest as the two old line parties woul have Canadians believe. Monopoly does 4 want the issues discussed, they are afraid ® that. ;

Our party and its candidates intend, ® best we can, to lift the lid on the issues 28 put the real alternatives forward.

TORONTO — The Communist Party of Canada has requested a place on the platform when the first debate on

women’s issues by party leaders is held next month, : sr

- Conservative Party leader Brian Mul- roney and New Democratic Party leader Ed Broadbent have responded affirma- tively to the invitation issued by the National Action Committee on the Sta- tus of Women. Prime Minister Turner has yet to answer.

In its cable to NAC, the Communist Party pointed out that as the party with the longest standing policies and active struggles on behalf of women’s equality, it should be part of the proceedings.

_ The party was the first to call for equal

CP requests place in debate

- publicizes where the parties stand on

—

oe.

pay for work of equal value, affirmative action programs, universal child care

and the removal of abortion from the — criminal code.

The debate will focus on women’s | economic struggles, their participation in — the workforce, training opportunities, — pensions and child care. It is scheduled to be televised from Toronto in mid-August before a live audience.

NAC is an umbrella organization representing about 2-million women. It — is not politically partisan and does not | endorse candidates, but encourages | women to run for political office and —

women’s concerns. The Communist | Party, as are the women’s caucuses of the — other three parties, is an affiliate of NAC.

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