Socialist Party of Canada

Socialist Party of BC

Statement of Principles adopted at Vancover, Oct. 3, 1901

Lardeau,BC

Abolition of the Senate,

establishment of the initiative and referendum,

proportional representation,

and right of recall of representatives by their constituents.

Provincial demands

... but in advocating these measures as steps in the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of Co-operative Commonwealth, we caution the workers against such public ownership movements as are an attempt of the capitalist class to secure government control of public utilities for the purpose of obtaining greater security in the exploitation of other industries and not for the amelioration of the conditions of the working class. It must be that there is a vast difference between "government" and "public" ownership.

While the corporations own the Senate and Parliament, we will have the "government ownership,"

Not until the people own and control the legislature can we have true "public" ownership.

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