British Columbia/Canada

NDP is mista

ken if it thinks

moving to right wins elections

The provincial election pot has been boil- ing ever since the Cariboo byelection on Sept. 20 when the voters there handed Social Credit a shattering defeat. Much of the debate is centering around Premier Bill Vander Zalm continuing as he says he is. If he vacates will he jump or will be he be pushed?

Not a few members of Social Credit seem to think it’s time for him to go, especially those who are dependent on another Socred victory for a job or a contract or a subsidy from the provincial treasury. And it seems the business establishment has also now joined the chorus demanding that Vander Zalm get out. I doubt that big business in B.C. is terribly worried about a victory of what they call the “socialist hordes.” After all Dave Barrett didn’t exactly upset the market system when he was in office from 1972-75. That is even Jess likely with Mike Harcourt as premier. But the business estab- lishment is worried about the rising expecta- tions that an NDP victory would bring, expectations that would require a reversal of Social Credit policies and some progres- sive reforms.

There seems to be a feeling in the top circles of the NDP that the best way to win the next provincial election is to avoid tak- ing a stand on any controversial issue; to just sit back and wait for Social Credit to hang itself. Some believe that Social Credit is so accident prone, so willing to put its foot

_in its own mouth, that it will discredit itself and voters will then automatically turn to the NDP.

But is that really the case?

_. Disillusionment with Socred policies was

__certainly a major factor in the last five by- elections, all of which were lost by Social Credit and won by the NDP. But the leaders of the NDP shouldn’t forget the lessons of

‘the 1986 provincial elections. The NDP seemed to have everything going for it then, including public opinion polls. Premier Bill Bennett was widely discredited. The people wanted a change.

Then the corporate sector, which finan- ces the Social Credit party, worked out a

new strategy, Bill Bennett resigned and was replaced by Bill Vander Zalm. The corporate-owned media concentrated: on creating a new image of Vander Zalm as a born-again reformer, a good guy who just

‘loved the people and would always listen to

them. On the other hand, the media painted a picture of the leader of the NDP as a weak and confused man. It worked, Social Credit won again.

It could happen again. Vander Zalm could go and a new leader take his place.

_ And the media could build up this new man

and doa job on Harcourt. let’s not underes- timate the power of the corporate- controlled media to influence public opin- ion.

This is why I think it’s not wise to wait for Social Credit to defeat itself.

I think a victory for the NDP, especially if it is to be meaningful victory that will bring about significant progressive change requires at least two steps.

The first is a determination by the NDP leadership that it will take on the corporate sector of this province, and provide a clear alternative people’s program that is in sharp contrast to the corporate sector program being implemented by, the Social Credit government today. This would have to

include, I believe, the key issues that the

people of B.C. are concerned with such as: © end the giveaway of our forest resour- ces to a handful of foreign and Canadian corporate giants. End also the wasteful practices of the forest industry; © compel the lumber, pulp, mining and other industries to end their destruction of

our environment with their criminal pollu- tion practices. Heavy penalties, including fines and imprisonment for the chief execu- tive officers who continue to defy the law;

@ make layoffs and closures of plants subject to public tribunals;

@ establish new industries to provide jobs for the 10 per cent of our work force now unemployed. =

@ repeal the discriminatory labour legis- lation introduced by the Social Credit government, particularly the acts previofisly known as Bills 19 and 20.

@ a substantial raise in the minimum wage.

@ undertake a large scale program to build affordable housing. End the demoli- tion of affordable housing. Establish rent controls.

Because people are becoming cynical about unfulfilled election promises, it might be a good idea for the NDP to pledge that if it does not carry. out its platform it will resign.

Secondly, the people of this province would like to see NDP leaders out there in the front of all battles of the people of B.C. — on the picket line, leading envir- onmental battles and so on, not just talking it up in the legislature.

Bob White, the leader of the Canadian Auto Workers union and an executive

member of the federal NDP, made a good -

point when he said in a Globe and Mail article “Controlling Big Business Key to Better Tomorrow”, on Sept. 27.

“The party must articulate the concerns and frustrations of working people, women fighting for equality, farmers, the poor, Native people, environmentalists and the peace movement. We must overcome their skepticism by fighting alongside them, inside parliament and out, between as well as during elections.” ..

If the NDP does these two things, it could rally the people for a positive program of social change. That would bring out the troops and ensure the defeat of Social Credit no matter what new face it puts for- ward as premier.

The Canadian Union of Public Employ- __ ees joined. with conservationists and citi- _ Zens organizations last month in slamming | , the Greater Vancouver regional district’s |, recycling plan, saying it fails to reflect pub- lic input and will do nothing to solve the _ region’s landfill crisis. *.. CUPEB.C. region president Geraldine - McGuire also criticized the district for fail- ing to allow an “in-house” bid on the scheme to market products claimed through the recycling process, instead put- ting it out to private tender.

Several groups, including the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation, told the GVRD at a recent hearing that its goal of recycling 20 per cent of the region’s garbage will only keep pace with the prob- lem, since there will be an anticipated 20- per-cent shortage in landfill in five years.

By comparison, both the governments of B.C. and Ontario have set goals of reducing landfill by 50 per cent by the year 2000, McGuire noted in a statement.

The regional CUPE president hit the

- district for not allowing a municipal bid on marketing some of the products expected to be gleaned from its waste recycling plan. “In community after community, CUPE has shown that it is usually cheaper and more efficient to keep control of this sort

CUPE slams GVRD recycling plan

response to garbage crisis.

of function in public hands.

“So long as marketing is left up to con- tractors, only the items that are most prof- itable in the short term will be recycled while the rest will end up in the dump, as before,” McGuire charged.

She also charged that the GVRD’s pub-

CACHE CREEK DUMP ... GVRD project underscores district's inadequate —

lic process was as a result of public pres- sure, and will not really allow public input into the plan.

The fact that the plan is already being implemented “highlights how little the GVRD cares for democratic process or the wisdom of the public,” McGuire said.

AROSS DA

Manitoba monitors radon gas seepage

The Manitoba government has ear- marked $150,000 to test for radon levels in homes and schools outside Winnipeg.

Initial surveys indicate that Manitoba homes have among the highest radon levels in Canada. Excessive radon levels have been linked to five per cent of all deaths caused by lung cancer.

The odorless, colourless gas results from the natural breakdown of radium in soil and rock, and enters buildings through cracks and openings in founda- tions.

Two recent U.S. studies indicate that radioactive gas in homes may bea bigger health threat than previously believed and have urged more extensive testing.

The studies estimate that 43,000 people a year die from cancer caused by radon — comparable to the death toll from breast cancer.

There are no known “‘safe”’ levels of radon. The study by the New Jersey State Department of Health shows that people living in environments with more than two picocuries of radon per litre of air have an 80 per cent greater risk of contracting lung cancer than those in houses with less than one picocurie.

Three picocuries is the equivalent to smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day or having 150 chest X-rays a year.

The Manitoba program will also pro- duce a book for homeowners on radon detection and control and assist compan- ies offering radon-related services. It also plans to change the province’s building code to provide radon protection.

Canadian team to assist Namibia

A team of 40 Canadian election supervisors has left for Namibia to assist in supervising elections to that country’s Constituent Assembly, Nov. 7 -11.

The team is being sent at the request of

. the United Nations secretary general to

form part of the 500-member UN Tran- sition Assistance Group.

The 40 supervisors were nominated by the three parliamentary parties and by federal and provincial electoral institu- tions. They will be in Namibia for a month and will be stationed at polling booths to certify the elections are both free and fair.

Union calls off beer boycott

The union representing workers at Molson’s Lakeshore plant in Toronto have called off their boycott of the brew- ery after reaching an agreement with the company to provide transfers for half their members.

Molson has now agreed to offer jobs at two other Ontario plants to about 260 of its 500 employees at the Lakeshore plant when it closes in December next year.

Local 304 of the Brewery, Malt and Soft Drink Workers launched the boy- cott earlier this year following the merger of Molson with Carling O’Keefe. About 1,400 jobs will disappear over the next few years as Molson follows through with plans to close seven of its 16 plants.

While other unions accepted Molson’s severance and early retirement packages, the brewery local had held out for job transfers at Molson’s expanded opera- tions in nearby Etobicoke.

Pacific Tribune, November 6, 1989 e 3