The year 1959, which is now a page of history, has seen the Social Credit movement of the Union of Electors directed by the Institute of Political Action, make tremendous gains unequalled in almost any other single year of its existence. It has extended its activities from one ocean to the other. Its full-time workers are pushing ahead in all the provinces from Prince Edward Island to British Columbia. Its active members, by the tens of thousands, are working with an ardour unrivalled in any other epoch of the movement's history.
Last year saw the extension of the movement deep into the province of New Brunswick, a territory that had been hitherto almost untouched. This was the consequence of the tremendously successful congress held at St. Basile, next to Edmunston, N.B., in 1958. 1959 saw our people setting up bases of operation in such Ontario centers, as Hawkesbury, Sudbury, Sturgeon Falls and Sault-St-Marie.
Then the directors decided upon the big jump — it was decided to move into the Western provinces. In June and July some ten large assemblies were held in towns all the way from Manitoba right through to Alberta; the largest and most successful of these was held at Falher, Alberta, and this locale is more than likely destined to be the base for largescale activity throughout the province of Alberta. To prepare for these assemblies seven full-time workers spent some two months ranging throughout these parts of the country. Weekly broadcasts were given over the regional broadcasting stations of these provinces. The directors then spent a month of intense activity holding assemblies and meetings, preparing the ground for future work.
Due importance must, of course, be accorded the four major congresses held in the east during 1959. These congresses are true gatherings of the "people" and having nothing at all in common with the conventions of political parties where jockeying for power is the keynote of the gathering. The men and women who leave these congresses are true firebrands who invariably kindle the spirit of Social Credit in the hearts and minds of those amongst whom they live.
The program for 1960 as laid down by the directors of the movement comprehends an all-out push to gather in some 60,000 subscriptions by the time of the first congress which will be held at Granby on the Easter weekend of April 23-24. From experience of the weekly Institute days held so far and those to be held during the coming months, there is every likelihood that this objective will be reached.
The full-time workers will pass three months working in the western provinces. The two directors of the movement, Mr. Even and Mrs. Côté-Mercier, will go to join them during the second half of their campaign. Six weekend assemblies will be held; two in Manitoba, two in Saskatchewan (the north and the south) and two in Alberta (at Peace River and St. Paul). There will also be a gathering held at Edmonton.
During this period the active rank and file of the movement who can spare the time or are on vacations will go out in teams under the direction of Hervé Provencher to work in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Magdeleine Işlands. "
During the course of the summer there will be two plenary assemblies of the Institute (what might be called smaller congresses), one at Sudbury, Ontario and the other at Chicoutimi, Quebec. In September, during the Labour Day weekend, there will be held the grand annual congress of three days; the projected site to be Moncton, N. B.
As for the work to be carried out by the active members of our movement, giving of their free time, the territory to be covered has been divided into sections, each section being confided to the directorship of a full-time worker who will guide and direct the teams of members going out on weekends or during their vacations.
In the last analysis, however, it is the active member of our movement, giving generously of his time, not hesitating to take long trips to go from door to door soliciting subscriptions, who will make or break the campaign.
The taking of subscriptions to our publications is the most important work of our movement for the year 1960 — as it has been during all the years of the movement's existence.
It is through our publications that the ideals and principles of Social Credit are brought to the people. Not only are the individuals instructed in these ideals but they are shown how these principles apply to the current events of the political-social-economic world in which they live. The individual is taught through this publication how to think, how to act, how to influence others as a Social Crediter. In a word, the growth of the movement depends essentially upon how the individual members of the movement work to increase the circulation of the movement's publications.
Apart from the necessity of increasing the circulation of our publications, there is the inestimable benefits to the individual Crediter which accrue from work of this nature. In encouraging others to participate in the movement's work through subscribing to the journal, they exercise the functions of a Social Crediter of the Union of Electors. Thus with every subscription they take they become a better, or more effective Crediter. In working for the movement they benefit the movement by increasing its membership and they benefit themselves by become stronger, more aggressive Crediters — and an agressive Crediter is an asset not only to the movement but to his community.
It is our sincerest hope that the year 1960 will see many of our readers engaging in this work, influencing their friends, acquaintances and business colleagues to subscribe to The Union of Electors. Thus they will be bringing closer the day when Social Credit, with all it means to the individual, will become a reality,
EARL MASSECAR
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