04) MAKE PEACE AN ELECTION ISSUE

People’s Voice Editorial

            One of the most frustrating aspects of the federal election campaign is the absence of debate on foreign policy issues, reflecting the consensus among the major Parliamentary parties and the corporate media in support of the geopolitical agenda of U.S. imperialism.

            This was not always the case. The 1963 federal election saw a sharp clash over Washington’s pressure to station nuclear weapons on Canadian soil (with Conservative PM Diefenbaker opposed, and the Liberals in favour). During the Vietnam War era and the global disarmament campaigns of the 1980s, there issues were prominently debated during elections. And as recently as 2004, the NDP was still aligned with the anti-war movements which opposed the US-led war in Iraq.

            But today, the story is quite different. Every key foreign policy of the pro-war Harper Tories is backed by the Liberals and the NDP (with occasional minor differences from the Greens). These parties all support the fascist-backed Kiev government attacking its own population, and the Israeli regime which imposes apartheid policies in occupied Palestine. All the parties stand for increased military spending and continued membership in the NATO alliance, which is engaged in a dangerous game to encircle Russia and China. They all back the bombing of Iraq and Syria, a strategy designed to secure U.S. domination over the entire Middle East/Central Asia region. In varying degrees, these parties are hostile to the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, and support so-called “trade deals” which undermine democracy and national sovereignty, and expand the powers of transnational corporations.

            Wherever Communists are on the ballot, voters have a strong anti-war candidate to support. In most ridings, however, grassroots pressure is needed to challenge the pro-war positions of the big parties at every opportunity. We urge our readers to help make peace a real issue in this campaign!

(The above article is from the September 1-15, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)