PROTEST U.S. SUB AT ESQUIMALT.

About 30 young people staged a protest sit-in Sunday, March 9 and tied up dockyard traffic for more than two hours to protest the visit of the U.S. sub Barbel, Above photo shows some of the protesters who carried signs condemning the Vietnam war, Charges have been laid by police against many of the protesters.

Change resource policy urges Communist parley

LABOR SCENE:

Bringing the Vancouver and District Labor Council (VLC) constitution into line with decisions made at the last convention of the Canadian Labor Congress (CLC). viz. the elimination of anti-communist discriminatory clauses contained in the CLC constitution, the VLC delegate body voted unanimously for a similar change in its own constitution by removing all references to policial parties at its meeting Tuesday.

This change."’ stated delegate J. Phillips (CUPE), “is a very important change in that it eliminates a source of dissention and disunity. and especially in a period when labor requires maximum of unity to meet the attacks and problems which face us.” Phillips expressed the hope that it should “not be too long before all such clauses are removed from _ union constituions. The only ‘ism’ we have to fight at the moment is Bill 33 which seeks to throttle trade unionism. ”’ said Phillips.

On US. president Nixon's recent announcement of his $6 billion anti-ballistic missile safeguard’ program. already indicating grave dangers to Canada, VLC secretary E.P.

hits Nixon missile plan

Neale referred to pictures of missiles in flight. supposedly en route to U.S. targets. being exploded over Canadian territory. probably, as secretary Neale stated ‘‘to show Americans that at least they were safe."

“Aside from being a grave threat to the safety of Canadians, this Nixon program “is an infringement on the rights of a foreign country.’ Neale said. When Cuba got a few missiles there was a terrible uproar in the U.S. almost leading to a world war. Now the shoe is on the other foot and Canada is to be sacrificed.” concluded __ the secretary.

A motion on the Nixon anti- ballistic missile program and its dangers to Canada was unanimously adopted. It urges the Canadian Labor Congress (CLC) to take this vital matter up with the United Nations at the earliest. while other VLC affiliates are urged to have their own membership voice similar protest.

A motion on the Nixon anti- ballistic missile program and its dangers to Canada was unanimously adopted. It urges

(CLC) to take this vital matter up with the United Nations at the earliest. while other VLC affiliates are urged to have their own membership voice similar protest.

Wm. Stewart (Marine Workers) pointed out that for the last two decades it had been under U.S. pressure that China had been excluded from the U.N, Now China, together with the Soviet Union are presumed to be the “enemy” with Canada caught in the middle.

While the Commonwealth Trust is building up daily into a major scandal in which top ministers of the Bennett govern- ment are now obviously involved up to the ears, VLC delegates unanimously called for the resignation of Premier Bennett as minister of finance because of his obvious mishandling of the Commonwealth fiasco.

The VLC also called upon the B.C. Federation of Labor (BCFL) to demand that the government disclose the names of all shareholders in the Commonwealth grouping. in order that the public would be fully informed on the identity (and responsibility) of all the top promoters of the

A resolution calling for a halt to foreign ownership and control the Canadian Labor Congress

of Canada’s natural resources highlighted the convention of the B.C. section of the Communist Party, meeting in Vancouver last weekend.

Commonwealth Trust octopus.

The 79 delegates in attend- ance. representing party clubs throughout the province. demanded the government undertake a policy of indus- trialization to lay the basis for primary and_ secondary processing industries.

In a report to the Convention provincial leader Nigel Morgan said that there had been an increase of 43 members since last November.

Other resolutions approved and adopted opposed the granting of $3 million to the Com- monwealth Trust and demanded that the small investors be pro- tected, called for the resignation of Premier W. A. C. Bennett as finance minister as well as those other government ministers responsible for the fiasco.

A resolution on Bill /33 (Mediation Commission Act) asked for its removal from the statutes and its replacement by a Labor Bill of Rights. Also demanded was Canada’s with- drawal from NATO and other military alliances, and that Canada assert an independent role for peace in world affairs.

Withdrawal of all foreign troops from Vietnam was urged and the Canadian government should play an active role as a

member of the International Control Commission to seek an early end to the war.

Opposition to the present cost- sharing formula for education under B.C.’s Bill 86 was voiced in a resolution which called for a more equitable plan to relieve the tax burden on munici palities.

A resolution demanding the dismissal of police officers involved in police brutality on the Sechelt Indian reserve was

unanimously endorsed which also called for a full public enquiry.

A contingent of 26 delegates were elected to represent the B.C. section of the party at the national convention in Toronto April 4.5.6. Over 150 delegates are expected to attend from all parts of Canada.

The national parley will advance proposals to give meaning and substance to the widespread desire for change which the Trudeau government has failed to live up to. Among some of the questions under consideration will be that of poverty. democratization of education and Canadian Con- stitution. a Labor Bill of Rights. agricultural policy and foreign policy.

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PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MARCH 21, 1969—Page 24

SUSTAINING FUND DRIVE

Mining monopolies hit

Cont'd from pg. |

BACK INDIAN RIGHTS

The attempt by the big mining companies to invade the reserve lands of the Native Indians and exploit them for private profit is another blow by the monopm lies and the’ big business establishments against the Indian people. This issue will be a central one at the convention next week of the North American Brotherhood of B.C. meeting in Lillooet. A resolution coming before the convention demands that the federal and provincial governments return full ownership of mineral resources underlying Indian reserves to the Indian people.

SURFACE MINING

Hearings into the proposed Strip mining legislation is still continuing in Victoria. but the mining monopolies have already served notice. as their brief said. “in the strongest terms.”’ that thev consider any legislation requiring a surface mine company to carrv out a continuous and progressive restoration program as impossible terms.”

The Mining Association brief

demanded removal of a provision in the present legislation giving the mines

minister the right to accept or Feject: a.progftam of conservation. ‘This means that the minister would have the right to prevent a surface mine from getting into production.” said the mining spokesman who obviously wants no government interference at all even from one so friendly to the big monopolies as the Socred government.

The brief demands that the power of the cabinet to apply any reclamation law to any mining operation be struck out of any reclamation legislation. It also asks that the proposed legislation be changed so that the government would have to prove that. anv alleged default on reclamation work by a company was of *‘a wilful nature’ (if that could ever be proven). before there could be any prosecution or penalties.

Obviously the mining monopolies want a free hand to plunder the province's resources. This must be denied them.

The public in B.C. want strong and enforceable legislation to protect the province against strip-and-get-out policies. They Want action to curb the monopolies trom | grabbing everything they can lay- their hands on, including Native Indian lands and public parks. They want a change in policy which will see the starting of a metal processing industry in B.C. If the’ present Socred government will not act on these issues then the people will have to. oust it and put -in a government that will.

Delegate Dave Werlin (COPE) stated. “this government is not only guilty of covering-up for Commonwealth, but of calmly watching the people of B.C. being

bilked. and assisting in the bilking’’. Delegate J. Phillips (CUPE) rounded out the charge against the Bennett govern- ment’s part in the Common-

wealth affair by pointing out that “tens of thousands of little people have been sucked into this giant octopus and now stand in danger of losing their life savings

Other VLC delegates emphasized the fact that Bennett, Bonner. Peterson and other cabinet ministers had

“turned a blind eye’ on the Commonwealth issue, by their proposal to advance $3-million of public money at low. interest rates in an attempt to save the big shots in Commonwealth. but had done nothing to save the small investor.

Bennett's appointment of a roval commission to ‘‘investigate’’ Commonwealth (this commission has_ since

resigned) was merely a ruse to get the government off the hook

** * At its recent session the Kamloops Labor Council

reported the fofwarding of a Strong strong letter of protest to NDP-MLA Frank Calder | Atlin). The Council letter takes strong exception to Calder’s unfounded that Native Indian

are discriminated by organized labor in

claims workers against BC;

The Kamloops Labor Council letter cites many instances in the Kamloops area alone where organized labor has gone to bat against any and all issues which have discriminated or been detrimental to the wellbeing of the Native Indian community.