EDITORIAL

Foreign policy fightis on

The Green Paper on foreign policy released by
External Affairs Minister Joe Clark on May 14,
staunchly upholds Mulroney’s right-wing policy on
NATO and NORAD and wars the Reagan button of
anti-Sovietism. It goes some distance toward finalizing
Canada’s subservience to U.S. policies.

Then come what appear to be contradictions. The
document notes the heavy influence of the U.S. on
Canada’s economy and culture: 80 per cent of all
foreign investment in Canada is of U.S. origin; U.S.
companies control 58 per cent of the Canadian oil and
gas industry; “Canadians are more heavily influenced
by American social and cultural values than by those
of any other foreign group.”

It comments, factually: “The Canadian people
rightly demand that their government forcefully
advance and protect their interests.”

At times one wonders if the Mulroney-Clark duel
being fought out in this document, whose title is:
Competitiveness and Security: Directions for Canada’s
International Relations.

But a more dominant theme is the Tory govern-
ment’s closeness to the doctrines of U.S. imperialism
under Reagan. This is emphasized by what is not in the
review, or is barely touched upon. The review of policy
is meant to assist an all-party committee of the Com-
mons and Senate which will hold hearings across
Canada and report back one year from now.

But long before that, the Mulroney government
may make unilateral decisions on such vital matters to
Canada’s future as our embroilment in Star Wars, and
entanglement in so-called free trade with the U.S.

Opposition to those dangerous courses needs to be
increased drastically.

Hopefully, tht Tories will commit themselves to the

part in the review which reads: “‘...we continue to
believe in the importance of a co-operative track in
East/West relations. Our position is based on a fun-
damental concern to avoid hostilities and their poten-
tially catastrophic consequences for all. It also reflects
an unwillingness to leave Canada’s fate in the hands of
others; a vocation of Canadians to play a part in
East/West affairs; and a recognition that there are
particular Canadian interests to be pursued in the
Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and that these
interests are best pursued in an environment of co-
operation.”

No one can forget that Mulroney is in Reagan’s
pocket, and may brush aside these words of Joe Clark
as he has done in the past.

Such passages as those quoted above, as well as
others on trade and jobs, could be picked up and
amplified by the labor movement, the peace move-
ment and all who are concerned with the peaceful
conditions necessary. The government must feel the
determination of Canadians for this development, not
only for trade, but for invaluable educational, scien-
tific and artistic exchanges.

Green paper or no green paper, more energetic
battles are needed to keep Canada out of Star Wars,
reject free trade and continentalism (destroyers of
jobs), oppose U.S. military and economic aggression
in Central and South America, (another matter
ignored in the review), give Canadians the “jobs, jobs,
jobs,” Mulroney promised in last year’s election cam-

paign.
To achieve such policy changes Canada needs an

independent foreign policy. The government must be
told that in unmistakable terms.

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An offer of world peace “==

The overwhelming majority of the world’s people,
the millions in countries around the globe, have
nothing to realize from the nuclear arms build-up but
misery and death. They have an urgent need for peace
and development in which to work and live and pro-
vide a future for their children.

Those are the basic realities underlying the impres-
sive appeal to the peoples, parliament and govern-
ments of all countries, from both State and Commu-
nist Party leadership in the USSR.

“There can be no goals which could justify the
unleashing of nuclear war. There are no international

disputes which could not be settled at the negotiating
table...Reason must prevail over recklessness, over
madness,” the Soviet appeal states.

Issues on the 40th anniversary of the allied victory
over Hitler fascism, it is to be welcomed by all who
desire peace, by people of whatever conviction who
protest risking human survival in a nuclear war.

This timely proposal, put before humankind by the
USSR, can be our assurance, if we do our part, of
preventing a nuclear war and building a peaceful
future.

RIBUNE

Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN
Assistant Editor — DAN KEETON

Business & Circulation Manager — PAT O'CONNOR

Graphics — ANGELA KENYON

Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C. V5K 125
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7

here was no lack of guilty parties to be

found in the tragic death of three-year
old Michael Jack, the Chilliwack child
who died after months of child abuse. His
father received 12 years for manslaughter.
At least three employees of the Ministry of
Human Resources were fired for negli-
gence.

The coroner’s jury that investigated the
circumstances surrounding Michael’s death
made several recommendations for im-
proving how ministry staff handle child
abuse complaints and suspected cases of
child abuse. Key among these were work-
shops to establish committees to develop
provincial standards on childcare facilities
and eliminate problems in reporting sus-
pected child abuse, establishing district
physicians to specialize in child abuse, and
staffing recommendations for MHR.

It’s the latter we think points to the real
culprit. Among the recommendations is
one urging the ministry to establish “a
team of fully qualified workers to substi-
tute for regular workers when they are on
vacation or sick leave.” It’s a small
recommendation, and good in itself; the
only problem is, the ministry under
Human Resources Minister Grace Mc-
Carthy has been cutting, not increasing,
staff and services for several years.

NDP MLA for Burnaby-Redmonds,
Rosemary Brown, indirectly raised this
point when she noted recently that while
the number of people on GAIN has risen
to more than 230,000 this year from

People and Issues

177,000 in 1983-83, “the number of full-
time equivalent employees has decreased
from 5,990 in 1982-83 to 4,646 in 1985-
86.” Figures for the number of problem
caseworkers were not available, but then,
as Brown notes, that’s not surprising since
the ministry “has not tabled an annual
report since 1982-83.”

We need only add the observation that
the minister eliminated regional child
abuse teams for the Lower Mainland and
Fraser Valley.

The ministry may find, as some social
workers have termed it, “scapegoats” for
its cutbacks. We’re certain that the real
culprit would emerge, if the report on
MHR staff figures for caseworkers was
released.

* - eas

t is a tribute to the nature of the peace

movement that so many have taken up
the anti-nuclear weapons message, to the
point where instead of one or two peace
events, there were dozens across B.C. and
Canada Apr. 27.

Because of that, it became quite a
scramble for the Tribune staff to collect all
the information on several provincial
walks for peace. Lacking a sophisticaed
information network, we must rely on the

reports of a few individuals, without
always being to double check for accu-
racy.

So it was that we inadvertently gave the
Kamloops-Shuswap Peace Council a bit too
much credit for organizing the Walk for
Peace in the community of Salmon Arm.
While an active participant, the Salmon
Arm branch of the peace council was one
of several organizations aiding the Shus-
wap Nuclear Study Action Group, the
organizer and sponsor of the event.

Thanks to a note from peace council
member Hanne Gidora, we got the mes-
sage. And we take her upon her
offer — and encourage others in peace
work around the province — to be more

communicative in the future.

* * *

Ras will have noticed, from our
periodic announcements, that the
Tribune gradually but certainly is moving
into high-tech. Our latest acquisition —
while hardly the latest in the new-fangled
gadgets field — is a case in point.

We're talking about our new Sanyo
TAS 4000. For the uninitiated, that’s a
telephone answering machine. We think,
as many readers probably do, that it’s a
purchase long overdue.

That makes it possible for readers to get
in touch with us after hours, including
weekends, and for us to keep abreast of all
the upcoming developments. The number |
to phone is 251-1186.

* * *

ho else would get a sweatsuit on his _
65th birthday?

The answer in this case is none other
than Vancouver’s senior alderman, Harry
Rankin whose entrance into the wonderful
world of old-age security was celebrated
by his colleagues, friends and co-workers
Friday night.

Some 400 well-wishers were on hand at
the event, which is a yearly fundraiser of
the labor- and community-backed civic
alliance, the Committee of Progressive
Electors, at the Russian Hall following the
preceding rally for fired COPE trustees at
Expo 86.

Harry, whose closet of track suits pro-
vides COPE’s first elected official with
enough casual attire for any occasion, was
suitably appreciative and promised tO
spend the bulk of his pension earnings 08
the civic alliance. He also promised he |
“definitely wasn’t retiring.”

Proceeds from the birthday and af
accompanying booksale netted COP
approximately $4,600. Organizers note
there’s still a ways to go to retire the alliat~
ce’s remaining $40,000 debt, the legacy of
two hard-fought elections in Novembé
and February.

4 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, MAY 22, 1985