ees

General view from the speakers’ platform of the mor

Hit Fall-Out Shelters

CLC Convention Delegates Oppose Nuclear Weapons

On Canadian Soil

Opposition to the use of nuclear weapons by Canadian forces on Canadian soil was registered by the Canadian Labour Congress in convention. Criticism was levelled at the Government’s policy for the erection of fall-out shelters. Support of the ICFTU was re- affirmed in a comprehensive statement on international pol- icy.

The statement said in part:

“Convinced that the most impor- tant problem of our times is that of preserving world peace in freedom and justice, this Convention calls on the Government of Canada to work for this objective with vigour, imagination and utmost persever- ance. The best defence against a thermonuclear war, with all its con- sequences, is general, simultaneous and complete disarmament.

Nuclear Tests

This Convention condemns the re- sumption of nuclear tests in the at- mosphere by the Soviet Union and its explosion of the over 50 megaton “terror? bomb, thereby breaking a moratorium on testing which had been in force since October 1958. We deplore the announced intention of the United States Government to re- sume nuclear atmospheric tests.

We urge all nuclear powers not to resume nuclear testing in the at- mosphere and to cease underground tests.

We call on our Government to help restore the nuclear testing truce and to assist in the conclusion of an agreement on cessation of nuclear weapons tests, inclusive of the neces- sary control and enforcement meas- ures, to be adhered to and observed by all nations with atomic capa- bility.

The United Nations and

Disarmament

The authority of the United Na-

tions should be strengthened so that

it can bring about the successful con-

clusion 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.

We reiterate our full support of this world organization and deplore the attacks directed against it by some of the member states, when- ever the decisions of that body seem to conflict with the concepts of their own selfish, national interests ... Convinced that the enlargement of the “atomic club” will further aggra- vate world tensions and that Canada does not need and cannot maintain atomic weapons, this Convention calls on the Government to review its policy and budget with the fol- lowing objectives:

1. Support every constructive effort to bring about complete and general disarmament, under effec- tive international control.

2. Conclusion of a treaty to es- tablish a non-nuclear club of nations which would undertake not to manu- facture, store, or permit nuclear weapons on their soil or use nuclear weapons at any time.

3. Oppose the spread of nuclear weapons to countries which do not yet possess them and refuse to per- mit nuclear weapons on Canadian soil or in the hands of Canadian forces.

4. Eliminate frills and waste from defence expenditures and a_ sub- stantial reduction of such expendi- tures for use in the public sector at home and increased aid to economi- cally less-developed nations abroad.

5. A critical examination of Can- ada’s commitments to existing re- gional defence allies, such as NATO, taking account of a changing world situation.

6. A comprehensive national plan for the gradual channeling of de- fence expenditures into constructive peace projects, thereby avoiding sudden economic dislocation, should universal disarmament be achieved,”

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CLC EXECUTIVE COUNCIL elected for a two year term at the Convention are President, Claude Jodoin; Secretary-Treasurer, Donald MacDonald; Executive Vice-Presidents, William Dodge - Joe Morris: General Vice-Presidents, George Burt; Frank Hall; William Mahoney; William Jenoyes; Regional Vice-Presidents; J. Gannon; J. Simonds; L. Laberge; H. Plamondon; R, Provost; H. Daoust; M. Rygus; L. Sefton; W. Smith; N. Reimer; D. Swailes; W. Black; E. Sims.

TF

REGIONAL 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT JACK MOORE puts forward the name of Regi iden post of Executive Vice-President of Congress. egional President