May 4, 1962
THE FISHERMAN
Page 5
Elections Show Some Opposition
There were no surprises in election results at last month's convention of the Canadian Labor Congress. But the two posts that were contested showed a large group of delegates, 152 in one case and 225 in the other, were not happy with the CLC leadership.
Since elections are decided in caucus and the voting is generally a formality, it was known some weeks before the convention that Joe Morris, president of the BC District Council, International Woodworkers of America, was slated to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of executive vice president Stanley Knowles.
Knovvles withdrew from the $14,000 a year plus expenses position to run for parliament as a candidate of the New Democratic Party. He was elected executive vice president at the merger convention in 1956 following his defeat in the federal election that year.
First opportunity for delegates to express their opposition to CLC leadership policies came in the vote for president.
Claude Jodoin was re-elected to head the Congress for his fourth two year term with 695 votes to 152 for Gordon Lambert, an officer of Local 199, United Automobile Workers, St. Catharines, Ontario.
William Dodge, one of the two executive vice presidents of the Congress, and Donald MacDonald, secretary treasurer, were re-elected without opposition. Both men have been in these positions since the CLC was formed.
Second chance for the opposition to express itself came in the election of four general vice presidents.
Orville Braaten, Local 433, Pulp and Sulphite Workers Union. Vancouver, polled 225 votes to put William Mahoney, Canadian director of the United Steelworkers Union, at the bottom of the list of t^e four elected with 678 votes. This reflected some of the feeling of delegates toward the Steel raid' against the Mine Mill and Smelter Workers Union.
Others elected were Georfe Burt, United Auto Workers, 783; Frank Hall, Railway and Steamship clerks, 769; William Jenoves, Bricklayers, 752 votes.
The two British Columbia regional vice presidents, both elected for their first term, won office without opposition. They are William Black, Hospital Employees Union, and Ed Sims. Brewery Workers, both of Vancouver. They succeed Joe Morris, IWA, and Ed O'Connor, BC Government Employees, who disaffiliated from the CLC following the 1960 convention.
A STUDY IN OPPOSITES
CLAUDE JODOIN . . . president of CLC for next two years.
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Other vice presidents elected were, by area:
PRAIRIES — Neil Reimer, Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers, Edmonton; Donovan Swailes, Musicians, Winnipeg.
ONTARIO—Harold Daoust, Textile Workers, Toronto; Larry Sef-ton, Steelworkers, Toronto; W. J. Smith, Canadian Brotherhood of Railway and Transport Workers, Ottawa; Mike Rygus, Machinists, Ottawa.
QUEBEC —Roger Provost, Textile Workers, Montreal; Huguette Plamondon, Packinghouse Workers, Montreal; Louis Laberge, Machinists, Montreal.
ATLANTIC—Joe Gannon, Shipyard Workers, Halifax; John E. Simonds, Bakery Workers, St. John, New Brunswick.
The president, secretary treasurer, and two executive vice presidents are the only full time officers of the Congress.
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CLC Foreign Policy Debated For First Time Since 1958
One of the final acts of last month's annual convention of the Canadian Labor Congress in Vancouver was to formally adopt a resolution on international affairs, a matter that could hardly be left over for two years. In fact, it was 1958 when the CLC last adopted a foreign policy statement.
In 1960, a resolution was drafted but it never reached the convention floor. Instead, it was referred with a great batch of other unfinished business to the incoming executive council.
A four year gap was long enough without rank and file debate; six years would have been too long.
There was actually very little dissimilarity between most of the policies in the draft resolution of 1960 and those contained in this year's resolution.
OAS FAVORED
But there were differences, notably in regard to Cuba and the Organisation of American States. In 1960, the resolution expressed "solidarity with the working people of Spain, Portugal, and the remaining dictatorships in the Americas, suffering under the yoke of fascist oppression, and pledges to them, jointly with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, full support in their struggle for political and economic freedom."
In this year's resolution, however, there was a full section dealing with Latin America, but all reference to the "remaining dictatorships of the Americas, suffering under the yoke of fascist oppression" was removed. Reference to Spain and Portugal was also deleted.
Instead, the 1962 resolution declared that "Canada can make a valuable contribution to the progress of the countries of the Americas, as well as advance her own economic and cultural interests by welcoming the opportunity to join the Organisation of American States, thereby ending the isolation of our country in the western hemisphere. . . . With all its imperfections and in spite of some of its past failures, the Organisation of American States still represents to the nations of the Americas a symbol of the unity of interest of the peoples of this vast continent."
CLC policy on this issue is far more explicit than that adopted by the New Democratic Party at its founding convention last year. The NDP removed a . section. from its draft program that called on Canada to fill its empty seat in OAS "without delay". The program instead urges that Canada "delay no longer in taking its place amon? the nations of this hemisphere," which could mean the same thing but is much less forthright.
Gerry LeBourdais, Oil and Chemical Workers Union, opposed Canada joining OAS on the grounds that it is merely a "Yankee dominated setup." He referred to the Punta del Este conference of last year which the United States had arranged to isolate Cuba by cutting off South American trade.
This view was opposed by Jim Bury, United Packinghouse Workers Union, who contended that the people of South America are boning Canada joins OAS because this country can express a different viewpoint.
While it took this stand on OAS, however, the convention expressed "opposition to outside military intervention in Cuba and to the severance of normal non-strategic trade and diplomatic relations, though conscious of the fact that Cuba has become a Communist state, bent on fostering her system of government on the other countries of the Americas."
Two of the 30 resolutions from locals dealt with OAS. both opposing Canadian affiliation.
The resolution reiterated most ofUN secretariat, one each from the
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the policies enunciated in its draft policy of 1960, but dropped a reference to "reunification of Korea and of Viet Nam on the basis of genuinely democratic elections, free from interference and terror."
WORLD TROUBLE SPOTS
It said there were trouble spots in the world whose solution would "help to bring about disarmament and a durable peace," citing the following:
© Reopening of formal negotiations among the great powers to lay the foundation for German unity and ultimately a peace treaty with a united Germany, based on the principle of self determination for all nations;
• Preservation of the freedom of West Berlin and its democratic institutions, free access to the city by land and air, guaranteed and controlled by the four powers and, if need be, a UN presence in the city;
• Feace between Israel and the Arab states by direct negotiations, on the basis of the territorial integrity of Israel, the lifting of the economic blockade, a just and lasting settlement of the refugee problems and substantial assistance to the economic development of Middle Eastern states and Arab living standards;
• Freedom of navigation for all nations in the Suez Canal. Canada should exercise all her influence in the United Nations and among the maritime powers to ensure that all nations, including Israel, be accorded the right to freedom of passage through the Suez Canal as well as through all intern itional waterways;
• Diplomatic recognition of the People's Republic of China and her admission to the United Nations;
• Protection and preservation of the historical borders of India which Hie resolution claimed were "under attack" by China.
• The right of self-determination for all colonial and dependent people.
NUCLEAR POLICY
The convention noted that it was meeting "at a time of grave tension which continues to threaten world peace." But, it observed "with gratitude" that despite "repeated failures on the part of the big powers to find mutually acceptable solutions, contacts have not been broken and efforts are being made to continue meaningful negotiations."
The convention called on the Canadian government to work toward preserving world peace, "in free'dbOT and justice . . . with Vigor, imagination, and perseverance."
The convention condemned the Soviet Union for resuming nuclear tests and its explosion of the 5? megaton "terror" bomb, "thereby breaking a moratorium on testing which had been in force since October, 1958."
While this point was not challenged from the floor, the Soviet Union unilaterally stopped testing I in March, 1958 while the United States continued testing until July 26 that year. On August 22, 1958. President   Eisenhower announced that the United States would suspend testing after October 31 when j it had completed its schedule of j tests.   At  that time,  the United i States had carried out more than j twice as many tests as the Soviet | Union.
The CLC convention said, "We I deplore the announced intention of j the United States government to resume nuclear atmospheric tests."
It urged all nuclear powers "not to  resume testing in the atmosphere and to cease underground I tests, $
"We call on our government to I help Restore the nuclear testing truce and to assist in the conclusion of an agreement on cessation of nuclear weapons tests, inclusive of the necessary control and enforcement measures, to be adhered to and observed by all nations with atomic capability." UN AND DISARMAMENT
The convention gave solid backing to the United Nations, urging that it be strengthened "so that it can bring about the successful conclusion of negotiations for controlled and inspected universal disarmament of all nuclear, bacteriological, and conventional weapons, for regulation and control of outer space travel and effective measures against surprise attack."
It expressed opposition to the Soviet proposal for a three man
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communist countries, the western powers, and the neutral nations. It claimed this would bring about "the complete collapse of. the effective administration of the organisation."
The convention urged the Canadian government to "support every measure designed to enhance the prestige, authority, and jurisdiction of the United Nations and its agencies and . . . insist that the General Assembly should create a permanent international police force."
Canada, it declared, should offer to place a fully equipped and "sizeable military force at the disposal of the United Nations and its peace enforcing machinery."
REGIONAL ALLIANCES
The policy resolution endorsed by the convention cited the UN as its authority for Canada remaining in NATO and NORAD, claiming that the charter "acknowledges the right of states to enter regional associations for the maintenance of peace and security.
"Pending agreement on universal disarmament," it stated, "Canada must continue to make a positive contribution to regional defence and cannot disarm on her own while the rest of the world remains armed.
"Canada should continue to cooperate with like minded nations, pursuing within the regional alliances of which she is a member, the aims of peaceful settlement of disputes and the prevention of war, at all times protecting her own basic interests and striving for a world where regional alliances will not be necessary and will be disbanded."
This position found no support in resolutions submitted by affiliates.
Seven resolutions dealt with NATO and NORAD and all of them advocated Canada withdraw.
The Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, for instance, stated flatly that "military alliances, armament, and war preparations have inevitably led to war and conflict."
It advocated that Canada "withdraw from her present military alliances . . ." and expressed the conviction that "Canada can best serve world peace and the promotion of world peace as a neutral nation."
But the best the convention could do was propose, without elaboration, "critical re-examination of Canada's commitments to existing regional defence alliances, such as NATO, taking account of a changing world situation."
It also advocated elimination of "frills and waste from defence expenditure and a substantial reduction of such expenditure for use in the public sector at home and increased aid to economically less developed nations abroad."
NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS
The resolution, while it ran counter to rank and file sentiment on a number of its points, was clearly in tune in opposing nuclear weapons on Canadian soil.
It called on the Canadian government to:
• Oppose the spread of nuclear weapons to countries which do not yet possess them and refuse to permit nuclear weapons on Canadian soil or in the hands of Canadian forces;
• Support every constructive effort to bring about complete and general disarmament under effective international control;
• Work toward conclusion of a treaty to establish a non-nuclear club of nations which will undertake not to manufacture, store, or permit nuclear weapons on their soil or use nuclear weapons at any time;
• Institute a comprehensive national plan for the gradual channeling of defence expenditures into constructive peace projects, thereby avoiding sudden economic dislocation, should universal disarmament be achieved. In   presenting  this   policy, the
resolution noted with "regret" that the government is equipping Canadian forces at home and abroad with nuclear weapon carriers of the so called "tactical" variety.
"We fear that the time is not far off when Canadian forces will also be supplied with atomic warheads for these carriers . . . Can-
ada does not need and cannot maintain atomic weapons," the resolution stated.
COLONIAL PEOPLE
The resolution expressed support for the "legitimate and heroic efforts of the people still under colonial rule for freedom and self determination."
It urged the government "to support fully, by all peaceful means, the legitimate aspirations of all captive nations, suffering under totalitarian rule, for freedom and self determination and express our fervent hope that their hour of deliverance will not long be delayed."
It backed the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and called on the CLC executive council to "strengthen the bonds of friendship with free and independent trade unions in all parts of the world . . ."
This is a continuation of the CLC's long standing refusal to exchange delegations or establish contact with unions in socialist countries or with unions affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions. The policy is patterned on that of the AFL-CIO in the United States and follows closely the line laid down by the US state department.
FASCIST REVIVAL
One of the delegates at the CLC convention was critical of the resolution for failing to speak out against the revival of fascism in West Germany and the fascist dictatorships in Spain and Portugal. All three countries are members of NATO.
An indication of how cautiously and conservatively the CLC is treading is indicated by its refusal to back the Canadian Peace Research Institute. The matter was referred to the executive council for study.
Two unions and the Kamloops Labor Council submitted resolutions to the convention advocating support for the Institute.
"Some of the sentiments and policies expressed in the foreign affairs resolution are good, some not so good," one delegate commented to The Fisherman. "What I'd like to see is some of these guys who talk about peace do something about it. So far we've heard some fair sentiments expressed. A little action would help."
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