Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 9, 1968, Winnipeg, Manitoba Printed and published Dally except sunday by Winnipeg free presi company limited 300 Carlton Street Winnipeg Manitoba. John Sifton president r. S. Malone publisher and editor in chief Peter. Mclintock executive editor Maurice Western Ottawa editor Winnipeg free Winnipeg tuesday july 9, 1968 the big frogs if the recent election had any meaning at All it expressed the will of the Canadian people to establish a Strong National government. So Long As government in Ottawa was weak lacking majority control of parliament and the nation s Trust the Power of the provinces expanded rapidly and unnaturally. Some provincial governments had behaved like regional baronies which frequently treated the Central authority almost with contempt hardly Short of blackmail. The frogs in Small puddles looked larger than life. But the ballot of june 25 taught Many premiers a much needed lesson and began to right the balance of the Federal system. In nearly All provinces the electors voted emphatically against the parties controlling the local governments. British Columbia Defeated every social credit candidate most of them losing their deposits even though the redoubtable Premier Bennett had personally campaigned on their behalf and predicted that they would form a solid Ginger group in the next parliament. It May be too Early to say. That the Bennett regime the oldest in British Columbia s history is dying but obviously its decline started when the Premier arrogantly refused to attend various Federal provincial conferences and seemed to be promoting kind of far Western separatism. His. People have harshly rebuked him reduced the new democratic party s strength and elected a Large majority of liberals who placed the nation above the province. In Alberta even the Invulnerable government of Premier Manning could not elect a single social credited. Having failed in his attempt to re Divide the political parties of Canada Between a new philosophic right and a new left or. Manning says he does not intend to stay Long in Public life. The retire ment of this very Able Man will be a grave loss to politics but his candid hostility to the constitutional reforms favored by the Trudeau government May be modified by his successor. In any Case Alberta s election of conservatives and liberals surely indicates a growing awareness of the nation in a province notably self centred and often erratic. If the election brought no Comfort to or. Manning it brought Little to his neighbor Premier Thatcher of Saskatchewan who finds that the sudden slippage of conservative Federal strength has gone mainly to the nip with rather chilling omens for the next provincial poll. The same signs of waning government support appeared in Manitoba where Premier Weir must see a definite Rise in Liberal fortunes. In Ontario the powerful organization of Premier Robarts could Freedom of Trade Liberty of religion Equality of civil rights the worm Industry turns q while Ottawa the Canadian the nation slept has made such Gratifying Progress recent years that its spokesmen now speak Hope fully of a government subsidy. This has Long been recognized As a sign of Success by a Large segment of our business Community. There exists a certain pre Udice against subsidies among unsubsidized c o n t r i by Maurice Western . It we Juraci Vau vet Colliu a Liucci Ilia. Have handicapped them. Still More significant was the conservative rout in Quebec. Premier Johnson s to the National trea sury. In existing Circum stances however it is possible nationals machine backing Robert Stanfield feel a certain sympathy Foi damaged him throughout the nation while diminishing worm producers because conservative party s Appeal among French Canadian Case As recently reported Only in new Brunswick Nova Scotia and Prince the financial Post seems to be at least As meritorious Ward Island did the provincial governments escape in some respects Superior injury. In Newfoundland the Regnant Smallwood that regularly pressed on ment was severely punished the Liberal candidates by such Stab one exception suffering undeserved defeat solely members of the subsidy the Premier had endorsed As the automotive textile and electronics manufacturers after these extraordinary upsets from coast to prime minister Trudeau has no reason to fear the or too Iti City canadians the Dew worm petition of provincial magnates who a few months to ill educated Ameri appeared Strong enough in combination to Challenge As a night Crawler is Federal government in its own Clear Field of jurisdiction. More than a Robin s or. Trudeau has not sought ;