gb can koran rte A a PEOPLE Phone MAr. 6929 SS SS The Quebec Elections ¥i IS an unhappy fact that it should take the result of the Quebec provincial election to convince at least one leader of the CCF in British Columbia of the correctness of the policies adyo- cated by the Jabor-Progressive Party and by implication the error, perhaps a*costly one for the Canadian people, of those followed by the CGE: Commenting on the Quebéc election results this week Frank McKenzie, CCE provincial sec- observed: SSS retary, “It is to be. regretted that the cone, Duplessis of padlock law fame is to supersede Godbout, who has given Quebec the best gov- - ernment it has ever had.” If hindsight makes for political wisdom, perhaps McKenzie will draw the logical conclu- sions from his own remark and use his influence to change the policies now being f-llowed by his party in British Columbia, because an important contributing factor to the defeat of Godbout’s © Liberal Party in Quebec was the refusal of the GCF to join forces with the Liberals, the Labor- Progressives, the trade unions and all progres- sive forces to combat the twin threat of the Union Nationale and the Bloc Populaire. The CCF, which grandiloquently denounces any suggestion of cooperation with the Liberals as a ‘betrayal of socialism,” must bear a large measure. of the responsibility for the victory of the ultra-reactionary Union Nationale. Reyject- ing any degree of cooperation it insisted on ~ go- ing it alone,” although it was apparent from the start in a majority of the constituencies. for which it named candidates that it was not going anywhere but into the arms of réaction. The result of this blind, dangerous policy, as the Labor-Progressive Party warned, was that in several constituencies the CCF divided the pro- gressive vote to enable a pro-fascist candidate to Win an election without accomplishing anything for itself or the working people it claims to represent. Instead, the result of its policy has been to_endanger national unity, endanger or- ‘ganized labor, and perhaps endanger itself. The result has been to strengthen fascism in Quebec and reaction in the whole of Canada? M. J. Coldwell may comfort himself that we have made a start in Quebec and found some support for future activity,” while CCF provin- te SS ESE pss: every Ce by the ee Ss Publishing Com- pany, Room 104, Shelley Building, 119 West Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia and printed at East End Printers, 2303 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia. Subscription Rates: One year $2, six months $1. Se SSS Editor HAL GRIFFIN SS SSS cial leaders in Quebec demonstrate their incapa- bility of learning anything by stating that their one member, David Cote, will not affiliate or collaborate with any group,” but the plain fact is that the task of the entire labor movement, “in Quebec and in Canada, has been made im- measurably more difficult by the resurgence of the Union Nationale. With the Union Nationale striving to sabo- tage national unity, to destroy labor’s rights and halt the advance of the French-Canadian people, and with the Progressive Conservative Party, with which the Union Nationale is closely linked, emboldened by the success to attempt to wrest the fruits of victory from the Canadian people, labor must now intensify its efforts. Only by uniting its ranks, by cementing coopera- tion and unity of all progressives around policies that will give our people jobs, homes and secur-_ ity in the postwar period, can reaction be defeat- ed and the cause of Canadian democracy, carried forward. Problems of Reconversion APPROACHING victory brings the problem of reconversion from wartime to peacetime pro- duction ever more sharply to the fore. The question uppermost in the mind of the worker on the job and the men and women in the armed forces is, “What about peacetime em- ployment.” A start has been made by organized labor in this province to grapple with the prob- lem, but so far nothing very positive has been accomplished outside of the excellent program prepared by Aeronautical Lodge 756 in Van-— couver. The brief pEecenees the shipyard unions to the Reconstruction — and Rehabilitation con- ‘ ference, outlined a general perspective for that industry. But much remains to be done. It is mecessary for the unions to formulate con- erete proposals for the shipbuilding industry, complementing and supporting the proposals already forwarded to the Dominion government by the Coast Shipbuilders Association. By concentrating on the vital problem of maintaining the industry the unions will over- come many of their problems which arise from the present instability. The Trade By Tom McEwen AS THE noose of Allied victory tightens about ti the axis gangsters and the first dawn of a new I to lighten a war-torn world, the inevitable prob peace force themselves to the fore. While victor determined on far-flung battlefronts the questio: comes next? is disturbing the minds of millions of Upon that key question elec- tion of progressive governments will be won or lost progress will rise upon the grave of fascism, or reaction will give. fascism 2 new lease of life. answer to that question is equally as important as victory in the field over fascism. The built by the Canadian people, which has played such a magnin- cent role in the defeat of Hitler, must remain as the corner stone in buildine the peace. For the trade unions the answer to this question is fraught with grave responsibilities. To approach the problem of peace- time economy in ahy narrow sec- tional sense and there is already smcre than a hint of this in some unions, is to invite disaster. Every trade unionist will agree that the magnificent contribution -labor has made to the war effort of Canada, on the production line and in the armed services, The correct ~ unity was due primarily to the degree ~ of unity achieved, first between the two Canadian trade union centres and their respective af- filiates, and secondly, between union leadership, management and government in the field of labor relations. To be sure, the degree of unity attained was not without its difficulties and disappoint- ments. Management and gov- ernment did not always extend the hand of cooperation sought by union leadership and labor in order that labor might pull its full weight in the generally, country’s war. effort. Too class often narrow partisan — interests unity and leadership an unwar= rantea rebuff. Yet in spite of these difficulties, Canadian trade and prejudices gave labor’s desire for national | There is also the certtuated by short ernment labor policy and sharpened by — declarations of tory the postwar, that + pledge should be Ji earliest possible Tm the unions should eG getline those conces by the exigencies of The CCE leaderst everythins goings ¢ with only ‘socialisn the CCF standings j manity and capitali gives impetus to th of ideas and weake of trade union unity CCF yoeal insister ed by organized pre the unions to accepi that the CCF is ¢ arm of labor’ has ( role and function of political action com: Seriously - threatens that has been built, that, but as a res political adyventurisn ing need of a pro-ih tion -¢