The following article, with above title, is taken from an article published in The Guide of August/September, 1961, entitled "Does the New Party have the answer?" The New Party' referred to here is, of course, the New Democratic Party under socialist Tommy Douglas. The article is written by one of the editors, E. Vanderkloet. The Guide is the official organ of the Christian Labour Association of Canada with its publication offices at 90 Hadrian Drive, Rexdale, Ontario.
Planning, as understood by socialism and communism, must be preceded by a power concentration into the hands of the State. We emphasize the word "concentration", that is, the State becomes the ultimate and final authority on all matters pertaining to human life. Without this total power of the State, planning is impossible. Planning includes control over all phases of society: Freedom of action by individuals and particularly by the various institutions and associations of which society consists will upset the carefully planned plans of the planners and make planning impossible. Therefore, first of all, economic life will have to be brought under control. The New Party program is quite clear on this score. The better part of this program is devoted to the economic sector of life. True, it recognizes a certain form of private industry and it assures that Canadians will be able to evaluate and criticize the public plans".
But an ominous note is struck when it adds immediately "that private groups and individuals will be in a position to adapt their own plans to those of the government". (page 10 Draft Program). Planning, however, will not be restricted to economic life. The whole of life will have to be brought under control. For instance, an Investment Board will be established which will control the volume of investment and also "channel investment to the most socially desirable projects". Naturally, it will be this same (socialistic) Investment Board which will also determine which project is socially desirable and which is not. And by what standard or norm will this body go?
Fields such as labour, education, and arts will all be planned. This is not always expressly stated but it is not difficult to read between the lines what the planners have in mind. They have in mind a totally collectivistic and regimented society. Personal initiative must give way to the demands of planning. In order to make the public planning-minded", the government of course must also have control over the so-called information media such as radio, television, and press. Again we quote the draft program:
"The New Party will make funds available to enable the C.B.C. to expand greatly the fine work it is already doing in developing Canadian talent and producing Canadian programs. It will also see to it, that private stations contribute their fair share to this important effort". (emphasis ours) Apart from the fact, that many — including us — have grave doubts about the so-called "fine" work of the C.B.C., we strongly object to compelling private stations to broadcast or telecast programs, which come straight from a government dedicated to the "proper" education of the public.