____ Editor’s Note. — In the last issue of the Lumber Worker _ two of the leading candidates _ for leadership of the New _ Democratic Party of B.C., _ Tom Berger and Dave Barrett, stated their reasons for seeking the top post. In this issue Bob Williams, NDP-MLA for Van- ' couver East, states why he is - also contesting for the honour. "Migs ae By BOB WILLIAMS, MLA Countless facets are neces- sary for a leader but if I had to make some first choices about the role I would have to list ideas and ideals near the top of the list, and a de- sire to communicate them. In our party the leader has an obligation to play an edu- cational role to a greater ex- tent than in any other party. Our group has staked out the new routes for government for over 30 years in this pro- vince. We have an obligation _ to continue setting the course for the future. Involvement with people in a new kind of social learning is probably the biggest job for leadership in our party. That means a combination of creativity, sensitivity and guts will be necessary. We never have been the party of “conventional wisdom” and the leader must make sure we never are. In today’s world the mass media make it all the more possible for a new point of view, or a minority position, to be put across on a scale that was impossible only a decade or so ago. It may be that we have never had a greater opportunity to effect the social learning process. That is why a leader must avoid chasing every fire en- LOCAL ‘SICK LISTS LOCAL 1-357 Sisters F. Flannery and B. Trineer of the LA of Local 1-357 IWA visited the following patients in hospital and “gt penny: ci see aoa er ies of the Western Canadian Lumber Worke ir. W. Milan, Fraser Mills; E. Vike, ; d; M. Gunderson, Watson r; D. Toker, Pitt Meadows; A. b, Fraser Mills; E. Gerrard, Forest Products; K. Bessette, a Mills; M. Marson, Fraser 4 ; G. Dalrymple, Can Forest Pro- LOCAL 1-80 Ed. Linder, Financial Secretary of Leeai 1-80 IWA, visited the followin 2 ts in hospital and distribute: . ly. cigarettes and copies of the . anadian Lumber Worker. S HOSPITAL Charles Wallace, Westhalme; Nick I ainus; Bill Flewin, ; Mrs. E. W. Robinson, ‘inus; Mrs. Barbara Stanisic, inus; Mrs. Gordon Whitelaw, ADYSMITH HOSPITAL : McMurtries, Ladysmith; N Ranta, Ladysmith; Mrs. i uckner, Ladysmith; Jack Ladysmith; John Elliott, Cof- ind; Arthur Carmichael, Cas- Leonard Walker, Campbell Riv- UN HOSPITAL | Beris Moth, Duncan; rs. Trunk’ Read, Duncan; ‘rine Dame, Lake Cowich- uncan; Mrs. Beryl Walker, ; Mrs. Ruby Abbott, Szaszik, Berkey’s 1can; Sam Harvey, Lake r Watt, Duncan; Eric 7; Samuel Reene) John Didier, O'| ‘Duncan; George Road, Duncan; gine that comes along; the fight must be on solid ground; the leader must choose the’ place for the battle. We have an obligation to define the new ground and show what our principles of democratic socialism mean in the technological age. In areas of physical development we must assert the public inter- est in the firmest possible way. The resources of this pro- vince are ours — nobody elses — and that, the leader must make clear in as many ways as possible. The Kaiser Coal deal has opened up an im- portant area of discussion that can be enlarged upon and re- lated to the forests, the sea, and the mines. The issue is not just conservation, impor- tant as that is, but what the returns from our property must be. In many cases this will mean public development, in others it will mean radical changes in taxes and royalties. The trees, the minerals, and the water are ours, all of us; we should all benefit directly from them and we don’t. Mak- ing this case is part of the educational job that I see for the next leader of our party. In obvious areas, the lead- er has an obligation to become known and identified, and have an image, as they. say these days. Given a democra- tic socialist point of view, I do not think that will be diffi- cult. An unappreciated dan- ger is that a leader must avoid becoming a bore and being over - exposed. Neither our- selves or the local Liberals have really learned that. A leader must know and understand the individual re- gions of the province very well. This is especially impor- tant in B.C. because our re- gional differences are substan- tial. The Kootenays, the Cari- boo, the Peace, and the Okan- agan are magnificent and unique. We must identify and relate to the differences. The success of our party in Brit- ish Columbia is going to de- pend on this kind of under- standing. The leader has an obliga- tion to determine the way to achieve power; he must be a strategist who has a plan. The approach we must take is a decentralized approach, treating the next general elec- tion like a series of by-elec- tions, dealing with local issues that are the most meaningful in the individual areas. That was Johnson’s approach in Quebec — it should be our approach in B.C. By knowing the individual regions and is- sues it will be possible for a leader to help bring out the best potential candidates in all parts of the province. The next leader must be able to work with the Caucus and help make the whole group more meaningful throughout the province. I be- lieve that I’ve shown that I can work with all groups in the Caucus and avoid any schism which could be fatal to the party at this stage. A leader must be able to carry on a dialogue with the intellectuals and university people who have a contribu- tion to make in B.C., but a leader must be able to‘make that discussion meaningful to THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER the guy with the lunch bucket in the East End. The next leader of this party must know what the roots of this party are and remember where we came BOB WILLIAMS _ WILLIAMS CITES REASONS FOR SEEKING TOP POST from — the cost of building to where we are has been high —we cannot squander what has been built with sacrifice. One thing is for sure; the next leader of the party must not be a power broker. I urge everyone in the NDP to con- cern themselves with this point. There are some concentra- tions of power that we should not accommodate — there are areas of power that should be eliminated. This is the funda- mental difference between us and the Liberal party. They are willing to accommodate the existing power structure; I am not. We have to be the party of social change; the leader must reflect that. We have to be the party of maximum involvement; the leader must want that. We must be the party that bridges the faultline of urban- rural differences; the leader must realize that. We must be the party that still has utopian goals; the leader must join with you in defining them. If we are all these things, and -if the next leader helps us reflect these ‘things, then we will be the next government of British Columbia. SE eae LIGHTER SIDE Sergeant: “When I say fire, I want all of you to fire at will.” - “Just then a recruit leaped to his feet and disappeared like a scared rabbit. Sarge: “Who was that?” Another recruit: “That was Will.” ’ * * * Jack: “How come Pete is in the hospital? Why, only a couple of nights ago I saw him in the company of a gor- geous blonde.” Mack: “So did his wife.” winner’s circle New OREGON Super Chisel Chain. It bucks, bores, notches and undercuts fast and smooth as only chisel chain can. But, unlike any other chisel chain, it sharp- ens with a round file—quick and easy. Here’s what Oregon Super Chisel has going for it: 1. A true chisel edge that’s always biting into new wood. 2. Easy sharpening with an ordinary round file. 3. 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