The two superpowers, US imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism, are powerful enemies of the Canadian revolution. The superpowers bully, intimidate and seek to control our country. They are the principal exploiters and oppressors of the peoples of the world.
It is US imperialism that most directly threatens and oppresses our country.
The Canadian bourgeoisie holds state power in Canada and has a tight grip on important sectors of the economy, like banks, steel, transport and communications; but the US exerts enormous economic, political, military and cultural influence in the country.
For years the US monopolies have plundered the rich natural resources of our country. In 1975, 58% of the oil and gas extraction operations in Canada were controlled by American capital. And almost half the mining industry is under US control.
For years, US monopolists have squeezed profits from Canadian workers employed in US-owned factories. In 1975, 43% of all manufacturing in Canada was US controlled. US capital is particularly concentrated in certain key industries such as transport equipment manufacturing (41%), electric appliances (64%), chemicals (65%).
General Motors, Ford and Imperial Oil, the three largest corporations in terms of sales in Canada, are all subsidiaries of US monopolies. US corporations netted 40% of the total profits made in Canada in 1978.
In 1974, American investments in Canada totalled $46.6 billion including government bonds. The same year, American monopolies had some $28.9 billion of direct investment here, which amounted to roughly one-third of all US foreign direct investment.
US imperialist penetration in Canada’s economy has brought nothing good to our people.
Far from “needing American investment to boost up our economy,” as the bourgeoisie tells us, the fact is each year millions in profit flow south to fill the coffers of US transnationals. Between 1960 and 1967, more than $40 billion in profits and services charges from US direct investment was taken out of Canada.
US domination has not “developed our economy” but on the contrary has stunted and deformed its growth. Raw materials and semi-processed goods like iron ore and asbestos are shipped in bulk to the US while Canada’s own secondary manufacturing industry remains relatively underdeveloped compared to its potential.
Rather than “creating jobs,” as its apologists claim, US penetration has wiped out thousands of jobs for Canadians. The Auto Pact has meant 7,000 lost jobs, and the 25,000 jobs that it promised never materialized. By exporting our natural resources as unfinished goods, we export thousands of jobs every year. And as US imperialism’s economic situation continues to deteriorate, it attempts to shift its crisis to our country. Plants are moved back to the US and production is cut here, causing grave hardship for Canadian workers. In the electrical industry, 3,000 jobs were lost between 1973 and 1979.
By using its economic hold as a lever, US imperialism constantly tries to bully Canada and interfere in our political affairs. It used this type of pressure to build the Alaska pipeline on our territory and to make southern Manitoba bear the consequences of the Garrison Dam. The US bourgeoisie forces Canada into unequal treaties and agreements. And it does not hesitate to attempt to mold Canadian domestic and foreign policy to suit its needs.
Canadian armed forces are in part subordinated to US control through our participation in the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and Norad (North American Air Defence) military pacts. Norad, for example, places Canada’s air defence directly under US control. Today our country has no real independent capacity to defend itself.
And US imperialism affects many other aspects of our life.
Decadent US imperialist culture floods the radio, TV, music and publications. As a result the Canadian people know little of their own historic and cultural heritage.
US influence even extends into the workers’ movement. 47% of unionized Canadian workers are organized in US “international” unions. Canadian workers are denied full control over their own union affairs, while millions in dues are shipped off to the US. The top American union brass pay little attention to the problems of Canadian workers and even try to sabotage their struggles.
There can be no doubt that US imperialism has a significant hold over our country. And it is certain to try to tighten its grip here as it continues to be thrown out of other countries around the world.
But it is equally true that the Canadian people have long resisted American oppression and exploitation. Canadian workers have waged many fights against fierce exploitation by American trans-nationals. Fishermen have resisted the plundering of our coastal resources. And thousands of people have denounced the support the Canadian government and big business gave to American aggression in Southeast Asia.
Canada finds itself literally sandwiched in between the US and the other superpower, the USSR. Though Soviet- social-imperialism’s influence here is far weaker than the US presence, this rising and most dangerous superpower on the world scale has definite designs against our country.
The Soviet Union aims to play on anti-US sentiment in Canada in order to build up support for its own world-wide ambitions.
The Kremlin makes endless use of the “Communist” Party of Canada to spread its propaganda here. The “C”PC presents the Soviet Union as an authentic “socialist” country. It boasts about “international detente” pushed by Moscow to put the peoples of the world off guard and with every lie possible justifies the USSR’s diplomatic and military offensive the world over.
In order to spread its poison in the workers’ movement, the “C”PC has infiltrated and taken control of the leadership of some unions. It also manipulates front groups which serve its objectives, like the Canadian Peace Congress and the Canadian Congress of Women.
The Soviet Union also pillages fish in our coastal waters, dumps its goods here and sends its spies, disguised as “diplomats,” everywhere. It has already occupied floating ice islands in our Arctic for military purposes under the cover of scientific “research.” And already two of its spy satellites – one of them spreading nuclear radiation – have come crashing down in Canada.
The two superpowers hold still another danger for the Canadian people, that one day their rivalry will unleash a new world war.
A new world war will cause terrible suffering to the world’s peoples. And though Europe is the main target for the superpowers’ rivalry, there will still be great hardship in our country.
Our Party will analyse the nature of the war scientifically. It will always put the interests of the proletariat to the fore in order to advance the struggle for revolution during this complex period.
War always weakens the imperialist system and generates ripe conditions for revolution, as happened with the Russian Revolution during World War I and the Chinese revolution after World War II.
In the event of an unjust war to divide the world between the imperialist giants, the Canadian people should fight to remain outside the conflict. Should the Canadian bourgeoisie and US imperialism drag us into the war, we should fight to transform it into a revolutionary civil war.
During a war, US imperialism would step up its control over our country. Our vast mineral and energy resources and our location between the two superpowers makes Canada of strategic importance to the US. It might well intervene directly and occupy Canada, should there be resistance to its war policies.
It is as possible that Soviet social-imperialism may one day launch aggression against our country. If, at some point, Canada were occupied by one or both superpowers, the aggressors would become our main enemies. The principal contradiction would change. A people’s revolutionary war would be needed to drive out the invaders. This would be an integral phase in our overall struggle for socialism. Only by throwing out the aggressors and defending the independence of our country could we continue’ to advance on the path toward socialism.
Both superpowers threaten the independence of our country. However, of the two, it is US imperialism that is the most dangerous for us, and most directly oppresses and exploits the Canadian people today.
The Canadian working class and people must take up the fight to throw these two imperialist giants out of our country and to defend Canada’s independence.
Certainly the Canadian bourgeoisie will never consistently defend it.
With the decline of US imperialism in the late ’60 and early ’70s, the Canadian bourgeoisie made some moves to lessen American influence here.
On a number of foreign policy decisions, like the recognition of the People’s Republic of China and the 200-mile offshore limit, Canada has taken its own stance. More recently, there has been the dispute with the US over fishing grounds on the east and west coasts. And the Canadian bourgeoisie wishes to build closer links with the European Economic Community.
American control of industries in Canada has also declined somewhat since the early sixties.
But the Canadian capitalist class is a far cry away from abandoning its close connections with US imperialism. Every single one of the main bourgeois parties today – the Liberals and Conservatives as well as the NDP and the PQ – are on record as seeking more US investments.
The Canadian bourgeoisie will never throw the US superpower out of our country because it has made and continues to make millions in profits from its cooperation with the US.
In the event of a reactionary war to divide the world, the bourgeoisie will seek to involve us as allies of US imperialism. Should our country be threatened with intervention or military aggression by either of the superpowers, the bourgeoisie will eventually capitulate in order to preserve its privileges.
The bourgeoisie is inconsequent in its defence of Canada’s independence. Only the working class can lead the struggle against the superpowers’ domination and their war preparations. We have the responsibility to drive out the superpowers, who bring only misery to our people. The working class suffers the effects of American domination the most.
Our struggle to preserve Canada’s independence is an integral part of the struggle for proletarian revolution. The American grip on different areas of our society today is a direct obstacle to our revolution. The Canadian working class cannot move forward in its struggle without confronting US imperialism.
Both superpowers are totally opposed to the Canadian working class taking power and establishing socialism. In particular, US imperialism would not hesitate to intervene in our country to smash a developing revolution. US imperialism will not tolerate the riches of our land slipping from its grasp, much less a socialist Canada as its northern neighbour!
We can turn the widespread anger in our country against the super-powers into a powerful force. By educating the Canadian people on the danger the super-powers, particularly US imperialism, represent and by reducing their hold on our country, we create the best conditions for the triumph of the socialist revolution.
In the fight against US Imperialism, the American working class is a valuable ally.
By striking blows at the two superpowers and their war preparations, we also get our people ready to confront the danger of war. When the war breaks out, we will be better prepared to fight against any aggressor that should dare to attack us.
By hitting the two superpowers – the two main pillars of the world imperialist system – the Canadian working class also makes a contribution to the world revolution.
For all these reasons, the struggle to oppose superpower domination, especially US imperialism, is an essential part of the overall struggle for proletarian revolution. It is a struggle which only our class can lead to victory.
Our Party fights to develop a powerful opposition movement against the super-powers, especially US imperialism’s hold over our country. We damand:
• US imperialism, out of Canada!
We demand an end to US imperialist domination and interference in Canadian affairs. Stop the US pillage of our resources and US political and economic control over our country.
• End all unequal economic treaties and accords with US imperialism!
Scrap the Auto Pact!
Stop the export of jobs!
No to the Al-Can pipeline!
No to free trade with the USA!
• Keep the Soviet Superpower out of Canada too!
An end to its pillage of our fisheries and its dumping of goods here like tractors and cars.
• Defend Canada’s territorial integrity!
Defend the 200-mile limit and our coastal fisheries against superpower encroachment.
No to the occupation of the Canadian Arctic by Soviet and US military forces.
• An end to US imperialism’s cultural domination in Canada.
• Canada – out of NATO and Norad!
US troops stationed here under these pacts, out of Canada!
No military alliance with either superpower – the US or the USSR!
• Prepare the Canadian people against the war danger.
We must denounce the superpowers’ war preparations and mobilize the Canadian people to oppose them and safeguard peace.
Our Party pledges to lead the Canadian working class and people in the fight against the superpowers. We shall spare no energy to expel them from our country. And we shall join with the peoples of the world to bury these imperialist robbers once and for all!