Our movement, the Union of Electors, has often been importuned to engage in party politics specifically, to throw its weight behind a "Social Credit Party".
We have categorically refused to do so, even to our friends, our readers and our well-wishers whose opinion it is that a Social Credit community can be erected through a political party arriving at power and enacting legislation to this end. To a recent letter from a reader of our paper, we replied as follows:
"It is true, I believe, everywhere, that there can be no firm union or singleness of purpose where the principles being pursued are not thoroughly understood in their most basic forms. This is true of Major Douglasʻ philosophy as it is of any other. (This paragraph refers to a statement that there seemed to be considerable dissension among those working for Social Credit in other parts of the country).
"The Social Credit movement of the Union of Electors has had the experience of twenty-five years of unwavering and unceasing development since its foundation twenty-five years ago by Mr. Louis Even and Mrs. Gilberte Côté-Mercier. It is true that today there are more Social Crediters in the Union of Electors than there are anywhere else in Canada. This is a tribute to the unity of purpose and ideals which these directors have been able to instil into the hearts and minds of thousands of ordinary men and women, turning them into the "extraordinary" people who make up our movement.
"One of the principles upon which we base the cohesion and unity of our movement, is that of non-participation in the formation or activity of political parties. This is a principle which Major Douglas himself often expressed clearly and forcibly in his writings and utterances. We believe that the "union of electors", without which there can be no power residing in the hands of the people, cannot be achieved by dividing them into opposing camps. For this reason, the major objective of the Union of Electors is to form enlightened and active individuals who will know how to exercise true political action the year round and not confine their politics to casting a ballot once every so many years. To form a nation of such citizens with such qualities is not an overnight job.
That, we readily admit. But we believe it is the only way, the sure way."
The temptation to turn a large and powerful organization into a political party, or to direct its activities towards influencing the course of political parties for the sake of taking over power, could be very strong. Our movement has exerted the greatest vigilance and care to avoid any tendency in this direction by any member or group of members in our organization. The movement has responded aggressively in nipping in the bud any such move towards party politics and when I say "the movement" I mean the rank and file as well as the directors.
We have not hesitated to cut off, ruthlessly, any group or clique who have attempted to lead others of the movement into a political party. We have in mind at this point, the group led by Real Caouette, a former prominent figure of our movement, who tried to use the Union of Electors to further his own political ambitions and failed miserably.
It has come to our ears that in the Maritimes, certain individuals are using the name of Social Credit among our readers and supporters as if they had some connection with the movement, to gain support for some "Social Credit" political party.
We wish to state here most emphatically, that no individual who attempts to entice members of our movement, or our readers, to give their support to a political party, bearing the tag "Social Credit", is a member of our movement, the Union of Electors. We most decidedly reject any individual as being a representative of the teachings and philosophy of our movement or of any authentic Social Credit movement, for that matter.
Whether the individual wishes to follow such people is entirely up to the individual. He is a free agent. But let him not give his support to such people under the illusion that he is supporting those who have the approbation of the Union of Electors. These people have not our approbation. On the contrary, we condemn them for prostituting the name of Social Credit to their own vain ambitions.
The Union of Electors, out of twenty-five years experience, and adhering closely to the principles ennunciated by the founder of Social Credit, Major Douglas, knows only too well into what pitfalls a Social Credit Party can fall. The fate of the Social Credit Party in Canada should serve as a grim lesson to those who are so eager to enter the electoral field. The so-called Social Credit parties in some of our provinces are such in name only. They have done nothing, absolutely nothing, to bring closer the day when Social Credit will become a reality in our country. The one lasting effect of all this partying by people supposedly dedicated to fostering the teachings of Major Douglas, has been to drag the good name of Social Credit through the mud and make it a laughingstock.
Those who would turn a Social Credit movement into a political party are either ignorant or seeking their own personal ends.
As for the Union of Electors, we want no party politics, thank you!