Mrs. Gilbert Côté-Mercier was invited by the Debating Society of the University of Montreal to give a conference Thursday, December 18th.
Some 500 students were present, and a sympathetic and attentive audience they were. One can measure the progress that Social Credit has made these past few years in the university circles by that fact alone.
A dozen or so of the students had their heads covered with white handkerchiefs, knotted at the corners. This was evidently intended to poke fun at the white beret worn by Crediters. Mrs. Côté Mercier turned this to good account. "I would never," she said, "have expected to find so many white berets in these hallowed halls. I congratulate you. (Much laughter). I have been told that you wear such headgears to signify your support of Crediters. My deepest thanks!" (Much applause).
During the conference which lasted three-quarters of an hour, and during the question period, Mrs. Côté-Mercier made ample use of local color to illustrate her arguments. Thus she showed that the University of Montreal should never be in need of money: "Since the University of Montreal really exists, completely built, standing there before us in all its splendor, richness and comfort; since it is a concrete fact, why should there not exist money with which to pay for that university and all the services it has to offer. If there is no money it is because the financial system does not operate properly. Is it any more difficult to make money than to build the university? Is it more difficult to set down those little figures in ledgers than it is to train professors with their long years of study? The financial system refuses to issue credits for the wealth which has been created and which can be created. In the same measure that the builders erect the university, so should the financiers build new credit-money to pay for this new wealth. New riches, new money. Why lack money which represents things, when the things themselves are not lacking! Obviously finance is not doing its job.
"You who are the intelectuals (applause) — I perceive that you like compliments and I would pass you more except that you are here to get more than just compliments from my conference — you who are the intellectuals have unravelled the mysteries of the sciences, of physics, of mathematics, of philosophy, even. But you haven't been able to solve the problem of finance! It is to the great shame of our universities that they haven't been able to settle this problem!
"The whole world, all our institutions are in need of money. Montreal needs it; the provincial government needs it; Ottawa is looking desperately for it. And the great savants of our universities are not even concerning themselves with this great drought! They accept it as something inevitable. Why is the University of Montreal not the first to propose a financial system in conformity with the realities of production and the realities of men's needs? There are enough Crediters among our people to support and back up this demand of the University. What a glory it would be for our university to be the inaugurator of a concept of such tremendous import for all society!
"Instead of asking grants for themselves, at the expense of the tax payers, why do the universities not league with those who are presently asking the Bank of Canada for credits without interest, without taxes? "One whole governement, that of New Brunswick, is asking this of the Bank of Canada. Municipal councils and school commissions are voting for resolutions which ask in effect for credits without interest or taxes. We ask that the universities, who have a very real need for money, raise their powerful voice to support this appeal of the people.
"Only recently a member of parliament, Emilien Lafrance, (applause) — you applaud before, but you will applaud even more afterwards — Emilien Lafrance, asked the legislature for the issuance of credits without interest rates by the Bank of Canada for municipal works and for school commissions. This is the most important thing that has been said in Quebec during the present session. But the newspapers didn't make a single mention of it. Luckily Vers Demain is here to inform the public.
"You, young ladies and gentlemen, students, cannot know anything about Social Credit unless you read Vers Demain. You must read to understand. I don't have to tell you that. You must read. And you know how to read. Then read Vers Demain and the litterature which we offer in order to know Social Credit. A conference can only give you a hint. To understand you have to read and reflect. Either Social Credit is the formula for the future or the future will be chaos, economic and political, with the enslavement of the individual.
"Shortly, you no doubt will be giving me your opinion on Social Credit. I tell you right now that your opinion is of no importance, Nor is mine! What is important is the truth. Truth came into the world before you, before me. It dit not have to wait upon us for existence. The truth can get along, very well without you and me. That is why your opinion and mine count for nothing. The truth alone has merit of itself. I do not say that I condemn your opinion. Not at all. If I did, I wouldn't have come here. And I did!
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A student asked: If Social Credit is so wonderful then why is it that the best-known economists consider Crediters as crackpots?
— Mrs. Côté-Mercier: "I will answer by asking you a question. Why was the great Pasteur condemned by all the doctors of his time? Sir, it is the fate of all new ideas to have to vault over the walls of routine. And routine reigns in our universities."
A student: "How do you hope to realize Social Credit. if you do not become a political party?"
— Mrs. Côté-Mercier: We do what you in the universites do. When you want a grant you don't form a political group known as The Grants-for-Universities Party. You keep on making your request by every means at your disposal until you get it. If it were necessary to form a political party for every new law you can imagine how many parties there would be. And nothing would be accomplished. That would be no small job changing the government for every piece of legislation. Founding a party is not the short route! Set up a party, present candidates, get them elected, get a majority in the house and finally to apply pressure on the party in power! That's much more complicated than simply going directly to the parliament and applying pressure on the representatives already installed. We ask for Social Credit from the members who are already in the house!
A student: "What do you think of free education?"
— Mrs. Côté-Mercier: "That problem would be solved by Social Credit. What counts with Crediters is that money should be placed in the hands of every individual according to the goods and services offered by the country. With their dividend people would be able to pay for courses at the university, since the universities and professors would have their services to offer and the Social Credit financial system would be in conformity with the services offered. Social Credit is not another system of socialism. It exists primarily for the individual. Whatever it asks is for the individual, for the development of the individual to the fullest extent permitted by the resources of society; and with that, the fullest guarantee of liberty for each individual. And the dividend is the guarantee of this liberty.
A student: "Fluoride in the water is a good thing. Why are you (Crediters) opposed to it?"
— Mrs. Côté-Mercier: "Sir, if you are so fond of fluoride then go and purchase some at the drug store. I won't stand in your way. But I forbid you to put any in the carafe I'm drinking from. When I go to a store to buy a chocolate bar I don't expect to be given baked beans. So too if I ask for water from the Montreal aquaduct, when I open the tap, I want the water I'm asking for."
— The student: "Then what would you put in the water in place of fluoride?".
— Mrs. Côté-Mercier: "Nothing, sir. I want pure simple water — H2O."
A student: "You have written in Vers Demain that the National Union Party is Socialist when, in describing the new building of the Montreal School Commission, you said, "Now there is Socialism". What is your definition of Socialism?".
— Mrs. Côté-Mercier: "Socialism results in luxurious public buildings and poverty stricken homes. Social Credit works for the reverse. For example: the citizens of Outremont are not Socialists. They are in essence, Crediters. Their city hall is a small modest affair; but their homes are veritable mansions. They know how to live, these Outremont citizens. The bureaucracy of the town hall is relegated to any convenient box; but the citizens' children are brought up and sheltered in houses, homes, which are spacious, comfortable and beautiful. Now this a bit of Social Credit.
"The politics of Social Credit work for the human individual. If Social Credit works for monetary reform it does not make this an end in itself; monetary reform is the first step if any social reform is to be accomplished. Our existing financial system blocks any other progress. Social Credit comprehends a great deal more than just monetary reform. It is noble politics which brings the state to serve the human being, and not human beings to serve the state and the financiers.
"In our time, economics have taken precedence over politics. This is anarchy. With Social Credit politics is master of economies. And the human being is master of politics. The human individual is king. That is Social Credit!".