Clinton News-Record, 1949-06-09, Page 4MAGE POW
Major Details of
CLINTON NEWS RZCORD
° THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 164*
The Progressive Conservative Parij!s.Declaration.�f.Pi�tky-.-
Drafted
and Approved by Canadians from every Province—
Representing Every waikof Life
George Drew
I have now visited all ten provinces since Parliament was dissolved. In one
thing there is widespread agreement throughout the whole of Canada: it is time
for a change. The important thing for all Canadians to decide between now and'
June 27th is what that change will be. On earlier occasions over the radio I have
put forward some of the reasons why a change is so necessary if we are to restore
Parliament to the people and lift the burden of taxation and arbitrary controls
from the shoulders of those who are doing the work of the nation in all their many
daily tasks. At this time, with the election four weeks away, I would like to review
some of the major details of the Declaration of Policy which was drafted and
unanimously approved by the delegates of our Party from every constituency in
Canada and representing every occupation. I have already referred at different
times to many of its details. This is no hastily -drafted election manifesto. It is
not my statement oflicy, or statement prepared by any group or committee.
It expressed the unanimous opinion of delegates from every province who met in Ottawa from September 30th
to October 2nd, last year.
Details are embraced by the three words which interpret the purpose of the undertaking we give to
Canadians: Opportunity, Security, Freedom. Those words constitute no meaningless, time -worn slogan. They
represent the broad purpose of a dynamic and progressive plan of action which we have placed before you as a '•
convincing reason why you should support the Progressive Conservative candidate in your own constituency,
no matter what party you have supported in the past.
OPPORTUNITY
First let me refer to the word
'opportunity' The Progressive Con-
servative Party will assure oppor-
tunity to all our people by:
A bold and progressive national
development programme
Canada is on the threshold of
her greatest period of development,
if a vigorous government, with faith
in the future is given the oppor-
tunity to bring into production the
monetary policy. As our trade with
Britain and other overseas markets
,are lost, Canadians are being re-
assured by the volume of our exports
to the United States. We believe
in increasing our exports to the
United States to the highest possi-
ble level. We believe that all
Canada's exports can be, and should
be, tremendously increased. We
know, however, that disastrous
results would follow any attempt to
depend exclusively upon exports to
one nation no matter how friendly
that nation may be. The loss of our
immense resources which we posseas trade in wheat, lumber, fish, a plea
in
every part of Canada. While
the vast areas of the North challenge
our vision and our courage, there is
no part of Canada where there are
not new opportunities of develop-
ment if we provide the electric
• energy and other sources of power
which will encourage new industries
and new types of agricultural pro-
duction which can make every part
of Canada more productive in the
years ahead.
Our national development pro-
gramme will cover the development
of power, oil, coal, mineral resources
and the transportation facilities
ppaarticu�lar we wifor ll establish (a) ir full use. Ia
National Development Advisory
Council in co-operation with the
provinces; (b) establish a National
Power Authority to co-operate with
the provinces in the technical ex-
amination of possible power develop-
ment and in the actual development
of electric power at cost; (c) under-
take the commencement of a joint
conservation, irrigation and power
project on the Saskatchewan River;
(d) encourage the development of
power in the Maritime Provinces
from coal as well as by other means;
(e) promote the development of the
great iron ore resources of our
country and the establishment of
greatly expanded steel industry
within Canada; (f) stimulate the
development of petroleum and other
mineral resources in co-operation
with the provinces by taxation and
fiscal policies which will encourage
the investment of risk capital;
(g) institute a vigorous programme
of water conservation, reforestation,
flood control, irrigation and drain-
age schemes throughout the whole
of Canada for the reclamation of
unproductive land and the pre-
servation of our soil,' and along with
other ,iinilar activities in co-opera-
tion with the provincial govern-
ments; (h) establish a positive pro-
gramme of marshland reclamation
and development; (i) take effective
steps at the earliest possible date to
co-operate with the provincial
governments in building the Trans-
Canada Highway and feeder roads,
which will not only greatly increase
our transportation facilities, but
also help to open out the vast possi-
bilities of the tourist business in
every part of Canada; CD remove the
discrimination in freight rates be-
tween the several geographical areas
of Canada so that all sections of our
country may receive the full benefit
from the development of our great
resources; (k) deal effectively with
the special transportation problem
of Prince Edward Island, New-
foundland, Cape Breton and Van-
couver Island; (I) take the necessary
steps to proceed with the develop-
ment of the power and waterways
project on the St. Lawerence River.
Expansion of trade
The ultimate value of all our
development depends upon the dis-
tribution and sale of what we pro -
educe. Because of our tremendous
producing capacity we are one of
the world's great exporters. The
external markets for our surplus
products contribute very largely to
the pay envelopes which buy the
food, clothing and other necessities
in every . Cana. ion home. Look
around you in your own home now.
The things you have depend upon
that overseas trade, nil matter what
your occupation maybe. Overseas
markets have been lost, and our
trade is dangerously threatened by
the government's foolish trade and
dairy products and the other things
that we have been shipping overseas
means more than a mere question
of dollars and cents. It means a
loss of business on the railways, in
the seaports, and on the ships which
have been carrying this trade to the
world. It would dislocate our whole
internal trading organization and
force serious readjustments of em-
ployment with our railways and
other transportation services. The
Progressive Conservative Party
pledges itself to adopt every prac-
tical means to expand our internal
trade with the United States and
with all other nations where we can
sell what we produce. By reciprocal
trade agreements we will promote
and expand our trade overseas and
also with the United States. Parti-
cularlywe will
abnomal trade barriers imposed by
way of license, quota, or embargo;
(b) remove the arbitrary provisions
of the Foreign Exchange Control
Act; (c) re -value the Canadian
dollar within the limits permitted
by the Bretton Woods agreement
and seek such modification of those
agreements as are necessary to per-
mit our dollar to assist our external
trade in the normal way; (d) open
negotiations immediately for the
purpose of making the dollar and
pound convertible, so that we may
open and expand our lost overseas
markets in the sterling area.
Reduction of Taxes
The greatest encouragement to
work, production and trade is the
opportunity to receive a fair return
from which money can be saved for
our families, our homes and pro-
vision for the future. Even with
high earnings today, our present tax
system is making it difficult to save
and is greatly increasing the cost of
everything we buy. Reduction of
taxes and sweeping reforms in our
system of taxation are necessary
to encourage initiative and reward
hard work. With that in mind, the
Progressive Conservative Party has
undertaken to: (a) increase the
personal income tax exemption to
at least $2,500 for a married person,
and to at least $1,250 for single
persons; (b) increase the exemption
for dependent children by $200°
Sc) lower the general rate of personal
income tax; (d) allow deductions to
farmers for work done by members
of the family who share the work of
the farm;a end the persecution of
our people by tax -collectors acting
under arbitrary power; (f) encour-
age development and improvement
of small businesses operated by the
owner by allowing proper exemp-
tion for money which is put into
the improvement of the busineas
and not paid out in profits; (g) pro-
vide for a graduated reduction in
taxes on other small businesses upon
the portion of the income left in
the business for further development
and consequently for the increase
of employment; (h) abolish nuisance
taxes and make substantial reduc-
tiona in general sales and excise
taxes on necessities.
SECURITY
The Progressive Conservative
Party assures security to all Cana-
dians by the following Declaration
of Policy.
Security of Employment
We believe that the greatest
assurance of employment in Canada
is based upon the fullest develop-
ment of our resources which will
create new employment across the
whole country and increase the
domestic markets for all that we
produce. In addition to the dis-
covery and employment of new
resources, the remarkable scientific
developments of the past few years
have greatly widened the use we
can make of all the resources we
possess. In co-operation with the
various provincial governments we
will explore every possibility of
expanding the opportunities for
work by encouraging new types of
production.
Contributory Social Security
Programme
The Progressive Conservative
Party puts forward a contributory
social security programme providing
the following benefits amongst
others:
1. Believing that provision for our
senior citizens at a level of payment
which will give them a feeling of
independence in their retiring years
is essential, we have stated that we
do not believe that old -age pensions
should be regarded as a favour, but
should be a right and that no charge
should be made on such property
as has been saved during their work-
ing years, nor should there be any
eisbeingearnaa to ed whether
r some the moron
rson
receiving the pension. We believe
a e aws o e country should
e
ur
eons
e
e
vi
tal
e
e
e
th t th 1 f th
not discourage saving during th
working years and such work as o
people wish to do in their old age
For that reason we provide for old
age pensions at 65 without a M
Test. Unemployment nemployment Insuranc
benefits will be extended to includ
payments for time lost due to ac
dent or sickness.
3. Adequate medical and hoapi
care will be provided for our peopl
under a national health programm
which will also include the most ex
tensive preventative health services
4. The same family allowanc
will be paid for every child, n
matter how many children are in
the family, and the nutritional and
other services for our children will
be greatly improved.
These, and other provisions in-
cluded in our programme, will be
worked out in co-operation with the
provinces, so that the highly -skilled
and experienced public welfare ser-
vices of the provincial governments
will be available.
An Effective Programme for the
Construction of Homes
1. Loans and priorities will be
made available to those who desire
to build their own homes. 2. Low-
cost housing can, and will be pro-
vided under plans approved by the
dominion, provincial and municipal
governments which will be adminis-
tered by the municipalities. 3. The
cost of building homes can be re-
duced by encouraging new types of
construction. What is causing so
much concern to our people at pre-
sent is not only the shortage oft
housing accommodation, but also
the excessive cost of small homes,
particularly those required by our
young people starting out in life.
In this respect I might point out
that while I was Premier of Ontario
we introduced a Housing Act in
regard to which the official oubliette
tion of the Canadian Legion had the
following to say and I quote, from t
their editorial: "Veterans every.
where will acclaim the new housing
legislation recently enacted in the p
province of Ontario. In this new
housing legislation the Ontario
government is blazing new trails,
out of which might materialize the a
long-awaited, over-all plan for the
successful solution of the housing t
problem in every part of the
dominion, which the Legion has
been pressing for so hard ever since pr
the war ended." The effect and'h
application of this Act was neces- p
airily limited by the overriding p
authority of the dominion govern- g
went, which restricted supplies for
building homes by their restrictive
regulations. We will ,remove those
restrictions and the principles of m
that Act to which I have referred w
can be mad
wider
ide
provincial
for(d)legislation
standard
governments,
insisted that the promises made
during the war to those in service
should be carried out in the spirit as
well as the letter of the assurances
which were given. Our programme
therefore gives the following under-
takings to our veterans:
(a) To establish a standing com-
mittee of the House of Commons on
Veterans' Affairs which will regularly
review all veterans' problems;
(b) to retain and constantly
improve all existing veteran Iegis-
lation;
(c) to eliminate all unnecessary
delays in dealing with veterans and
to simplify procedure;
(d) to extend pension benefits to
the members of the merchant navy
(e) to accept as the basis for all
decisions the medical category re-
corded on enlistment and to regard
physical condition below that stand-
ard during service as the actual
result of military service;
(f) to stabilize the pensions of
veterans of the First World War,
providing for upward revision where
the disability has increased;
till! Iltt aid ward the
provision o war veterans' allow-
ances
llow
ances with an increase in the amount
that a veteran may earn over and
above the allowance paid.
FREEDOM
Our constitutional freedom is
based upon the democratic princi-
ple that the people's chosen repre-
sentatives in Parliament are
supreme, and have the final res-
ponsibility for all laws whioh affect
the rights of our people. This
principle is the corner -stone of all
our freedom. The Progressive Con-
servative Party pledges itself to put
and end to statism in Canada and
terminate bureaucratic action by
. government order -in -council, minis-
terial proclamation, and depart-
mental regulation. We will restore
responsible government answerable
to the elected representatives of
the people. We believe in the widest
possible measure of personal liberty
consistent with law, order and the
general national welfare. We are
opposed, to all powers which invest
in the government arbitrary control
over the rights of the individual,
We pledge ourselves to restore the
full supremacy of the law and the
equality of every citizen under the
law. We believe that the closer
government • is' to the people, • the
better government always is. We
are determined to conserve the
authority of the provincial and
municipal governments 'over those
local affairs which can best be dealt
with by men and women who are in
intimate contact with them. We
are strongly opposed to centralize -
tion of legislative and administra-
tive power over local affairs, and to
any breach of the constitutional
now, any a amp on a art
e em to ees of the
Broadcasting Corporation to im-
prove the organization only results
in immediate disciplinary action.
The summary dismissal, for in-
stance, of Mr. Joel Aldred, one of
the beat known broadcasters of the
Canadian Broadcasting Corpora-
tion just the day before Parliament
dissolved, because he had publicly
suggested improvements within that
organization, is merely an Mika -
tion of the extent to which free
speech is being restrained by the
present government. We undertake
to restore freedom of speech over
the radio as well as otherwise, and
to place the supervision of all
broadcasting in Canada under an
independent administrative body,
We further undertake to abolish the
license fee on radio receiving sets,
We do this because this license fee,
which is supposed to be for the
services given by the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation, is un•
justified because there are many
parts of Canada where our people
receive no services from the publicly -
owned stations. All our freedom
and all our security depend upon
our national security and indepen-
dence. For that reason, one ofthe
first resolutions adopted unani-
mously by our delegates from every
province last October, was art
expression of unqualified support for
the establishment of a defensive
union of the Western Powers,
which has since taken form in the
North Atlantic Security Pact. Our
support of that policy has at all
times been stated in the same words
and with the same emphasis in
every part of Canada. The collec-
tive preservation of peace and the
combined strength of the free
nations now gives increased impor-
tance to national defence and the
efficiency of our defence forces. We
undertake to set up a standing com-
mittee on national defence which
will keep Parliament and the people
informed regarding the state of our
defences and will also assure the
most effective use of the money we
spend for the purpose of providing
defence forces.
The points I have covered in
these remarks are only some of the
progressive, practical and construc-
tive policies which will be put into
effect by a Progressive Conservative
government. I believe this state-
ment will provide convincing reasons
why you should cast your ballot on
June 27th for the Progressive Con-
servative candidate in your own
constituency so that the public
business of this great country will
be handled by a strong, vigorous
and progressive government in the
years ahead.
George Drew
Vicloria, B.C. May 30 '79;10'
IT'S TiME FOR A CHANGE -14 YEARS IS TOO LONG
•
VOTE FOR YOUR
- PRODBY THE PROGRESSI
VE CONSERVATIVVE r
PARTY OP CANADCA, 111 LAUORIER NAVE. WS., OTTE RVATIVECANDIDATE .
' 57
Elston Cardiff
North Huron
NORTH HURON PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE. ASSOCIATION
Elgin McKinley
Huron -Pert]
HURON -PERTH PROGRESSIVE COii EIRRVATIVE ASSOCIATION