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ACTION

By ROLAND and GEORGE MORRISON

If present plans ever see the light of day, ‘Action Canada’, rapidly becoming a strong political force in this country, could replace the NDP as the third party in Canada. '

4 Mike McCafferty, a STU student and the local chairman of Action Canada, said that within five years Action Canada would be the third most powerful political’ party in the country. “We have all kinds of means for mak-

ing ourselves felt”, he stated, and added that this rise in power might occur as early as the next federal elections, rumoured to be Novem- ber, 1972. This would indeed be an incredible leap forward for the four-month old party. Although youth forms a large portion ot the party, membership is varied. Farmers, the unemployed, businessmen. industrialists. and Wople from all other walks of life have [locked tojoin. Action Canada presents to them a means of expressing their discontent with the present government,a means of providing the:individual

with the opportunity to express his views and criticisms.

The party derives its financial support from two main sources: I) membership fees. and 2) donations. Membership fees are: Regular. $10; Student, $2; Patrons, $50 and up: and unem- ployed, Free (requested to pay $2 when em- ployed). These fees are not mandatory. and are paid voluntarily by members. Perhaps the larg- est sourcc of income comes from monied busi-

nessmen and industrialists, especially in Toronto, Montreal, and BC. With these funds, Action Canada is attempting to make itself a viable political party. ’ ‘ ' -_ V __ McCaffcrty says taht Action Canada is- “sort of a populist movement.” What he means'byg. this is that unlike the other-political parties in Canada, Action,Canada.s olieies are,“ :de- mincdi'at-thc‘top; h '1 bottom, by.._th ' ‘

administrative duties, and a - - - their rights to act. They pro _ ~- "

_ {the pa'nyjebnsis'ié'gf a _ g i ‘ _

to seek new alternat" rs ,' , ing all citizens in thewegs-nel fora better Canada. ’. ' 1 4. Participate in the electora’l'p'mC 1' e the active support of candidates-'whogen' the Action Council's position. . 7 , ., So. the main purpose of each Action Conn-ill .- is to provide'a’. forum locally forzparticipat‘ion“ “3' in‘political life for everyvAction'(‘anadameinberl' "

a populistmovement...