First Published: The Forge Vol. 5, No. 29, September 5, 1980
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Malcolm and Paul Saba
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September 2 marks the first anniversary of the Workers Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist). One year ago delegates from across the country met at the founding congress and voted unanimously to dissolve the Canadian Communist League (ML), set up four years earlier, and to found the WCP.
The first year proved to be particularly active for our young party and Involved three country-wide campaigns.
The first campaign to make the new party known had only just drawn to a close when the Clark government fell and federal elections were called. The WCP presented 30 candidates In ridings across Canada and pulled in 5600 votes.
All the party’s energies were mobilized during this period, organizing rallies and discussing the WCP election program with working people.
Then it was on to the Quebec referendum. In Quebec the party opposed the pro-capitalist options of Levesque and Ryan and called for spoiling the ballot. In English Canada members and sympathizers defended Quebec’s right to self-determination and took part in self-determination committees set up in many cities. Socialist revolution was defended as the real answer to all national oppression.
During the past year the WCP worked full out to bring the working-class standpoint into the union movement and to strengthen the fightback current. The young party opposed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and continued to give ite all-out support to the peoples and countries around the globe fighting the two superpowers.
Through these campaigns and activities and much hard and dedicated work by party members and sympathizers, thousands of working people who had never been In touch with a revolutionary alternative were introduced to the WCP’s program. On top of this many new workers and sympathizers rallied to the party, strengthening its ranks.
Important political tasks lie ahead as the party enters its second year. With the recession deepening, the WCP will have an important role to play in organizing the fightback against the capitalist crisis and demonstrating the need for a real working class party to lead the battle to do away with this decaying system.
The WCP will also have the occasion to present its socialist alternative before working people in the constitutional debate, the Quebec elections and other upcoming events.
Internationally, the party will practise proletarian internationalism and fully support the battles of the working class and oppressed peoples around the world. It will actively take part in the fight against the growing war danger as the USSR pushes ahead in its contention with the US for world domination.
The organization places particular importance on defending Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought and pushing back the revisionist offensive.
In the upcoming year increased effort will be put into party building, especially rallying the many workers contacted by the party during the first year’s work. While the party has grown stronger since the first congress, we must bring far more working people into its ranks.
There will also be a drive to consolidate the party ideologically, politically and organizationally. This will enable the party to more fully carry on its revolutionary tasks and to better defend the interests of the working class.
To kick off this year we are launching a campaign to raise money for the WCP and The Forge. And we are calling on our main source of funding, you, working people, to help support our upcoming activities.
Contribute to build the only party in Canada that defends the working people. Join with us in the coming year to fight to put an end to exploitation and injustice and for socialist revolution.