DOWSON ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF
Nova Scotia
In a last-minute surprise move, the New Democratic party [NDP] announced October 23 that it would run Elwood Smith for the House of Commons from Colchester- Hants riding. Ross Dowson, candidate of the League for Socialist Action [LSA], who had filed formally only a few hours before, at once withdrew and asked all his supporters to work for the election of Elwood Smith.
The NDP leaders had made a deal with the Tories not to contest the new Progressive Conservative party leader, Robert Stanfield, in the by-election.
When the federal and Nova Scotia provincial leaders of the party upheld this back-room deal, the League for Socialist Action decided to run its executive secretary, Ross Dowson, against the Tory candidate in order to provide the voters with a real choice.
The LSA action attracted national attention in Canada and won favorable comment in many circles, but particularly among the members of the NDP, which constitutes the Canadian version of a labour party.
For instance, Ken Novakowski, president of the federal New Democratic Youth, wired Dowson October 13, "Since NDP's default, despite even your prodding, we endorse you critically as labour alternative to Stanfield." The wire was signed
Today's activities are no more than a beginning. So long as a single bomb falls on Vietnam, we cannot be silent. So long as a single American soldier remains in Vietnam, our obligation remains. It is in this spirit that our work should continue around the world.
It is only by this dedication that we shall know success in the end.
LAST-MINUTE NDP CANDIDATE
by other leading Alberta NDYers.
On October 20, Chris Thurrott, federal vice-president of the NDY, and Kim Cameron, Nova Scotia representative on the NDY federal council, also endorsed the LSA campaign.
In a statement over radio station CKCL, Dowson expressed his satisfaction that the NDP had entered the contest, even if belatedly and in a somewhat shamefaced way.
He said that the LSA regretted that it had been compelled to go to such expense and effort but that it was proud that it had been of service in providing the Colchester-Hants electorate and the working people across the country with a confrontation between the new Tory leader and the NDP.
Dowson stated that he hoped that Smith would conduct a serious campaign on the major issues which he himself had brought up for consideration in the previous weeks of campaigning. He stressed in particular the advisability of a vigorous presentation of the official NDP position of opposing Canada's support of Washington's war on the Vietnamese people.
He also urged adoption of a policy aimed at converting the Dosco steel complex to public ownership. Dosco has threatened to close down its Sydney steel mill in Nova Scotia and toss 3,200 workers into the street.