Jeremy Lee reports from Nanaimo, British Columbia

"Canadians are somewhat bemused - and are becoming increasingly angry at the amazing government policies being taken in regard to loans for the Soviet bloc. Australian readers of "Intelligence Survey" will recall the article in last July's issue, pointing out that amendments to the United States Federal Reserve Act have made it obligatory for the American taxpayer to foot the bill for any overseas defaulting on debts. On January 4th, when 500 international banks were meeting in Paris to discuss the Polish debt crisis, TIME magazine said: "The official U.S. position in the Polish debt battle is to stay out of the negotiations among the private bankers. The Government is especially wary of being forced to grant any type of loan guarantees..." (TIME never mentioned the amendments to the Federal Reserve Act, which it must surely know about!)

By February 15th, TIME was saying that U.S. Defence Secretary, Caspar Weinberger, "has argued that increasing the credit burden on Moscow might slow construction of a proposed $15 billion natural gas pipeline from the Soviet Union to Western Europe. The U.S. is anxious to scuttle the pipeline because it would make Western Europe dependent on the U.S.S.R. for vital energy... Canada's Pierre Trudeau, however, is always one to step into the breech - especially if he can help the Soviets in any way. The Owen Sound Sun Times (Feb. 13) reported: "The government is prepared to subsidise a $600 million loan for a Soviet gas project while Canadians are losing their homes because of staggering interest rates.... The Soviets will be charged 10 percent on this loan, only slightly more than half the bond rate applying to Canadian borrowers.

Canada's "Financial Post" (Feb. 20th) gave details of the Soviet's total indebtedness to Canada: "On the basis of disclosed information Royal Bank of Canada has $900 million in loans; Bank of Montreal $600 million; Toronto Dominion Bank $600 million; and National Bank of Canada $500 million. Brown estimates $500 million for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and $400 million for Bank of Novia Scotia..." With the addition of the latest $600 million, this brings the Soviet's indebtedness to Canada over the $4 billion mark - a nice $640 for every Canadian family of four.

DR. C.A. DIQUE WRITES ON MULTICULTURALISM

The following most important letter was published under the heading: "The Fraud of Multiculturalism" in The Australian (March 4th):
"Dr. Evasio Costanzo states that Australia is a young and ethnically complex country' (The Australian Feb. 22nd) and 'in search of its own cultural identity'.
It was certainly not an ethnically complex country till Parliament decided without electoral mandate to make it so in 1966. Since then the much quoted 140 ethnic inputs, speaking 90 languages and practising 80 religions have been a source of embarrassment to previous inhabitants and themselves.
"Australia is the only country in the world in which an elected government has tried to alter the ethnicity of the population. The sustained and plaintive wails for a new flag, a new Constitution and a new language (Esperanto!) are merely results of the initial decision, as is the desire for 'subordinate cultures' Dr. Constanzo mentions.

"If there is any 'approved act of genocide' it is against the white, English speaking Australians whom it is directed. "Multiculturalism may be an aspiration of Mr. Fraser, Mr. Macphee, or Mr. Howard who jointly are imposing it on Australia. It is not, however, that of the majority of Australians."

Dr. C.A. Dique is a prominent Brisbane critic of the Government's Immigration policies and the multicultural society. He issues a regular Immigration reform newsletter.

THE STATES PREPARE TO DEFEND THEIR POWERS

"The power of State Governments to legislate in any area could be 'obliterated' if the High Court took an extreme view of Commonwealth jurisdiction over external affairs, two State Governments warned yesterday". The Age (Melbourne) March 3rd.

During 1981 we published in these pages a letter from the late Senator Ivor Greenwood (Attorney-General in former Liberal Governments) to an executive of the Australian League of Rights on the subject of the Racial Discrimination Act. Senator Greenwood stated that the Act was definitely invalid - and that the High Court would throw it out if it were challenged by a responsible authority. He further added, with respect to the ''external affairs'' powers of the Australian Constitution (under which the Racial Discrimination Act was enacted) that there would eventually have to be some definite limits placed on the Commonwealth by the High Court. Perhaps a referendum on this very matter will one day be necessary. Well, all this is coming about now.

The Queensland Government did challenge the validity of the Racial Discrimination Act of 1975, which was introduced in Federal Parliament (under the Whitlam Government) upon the ratification, by Australia, of the United Nations international convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. The States' challenge to the above is now proceeding in the High Court: it could be some time before the High Court hands down its ruling.

BRIEF COMMENTS

The random breath test "debate" is now raging in N.S.W., just as it did in Victoria, upon its introduction there in 1976. The pros and cons are still being hotly argued in Victoria, after 5 years. We remain dubious, still. What took our eye, as we thumbed through the Sydney Sunday Telegraph (March 7th) was a comment made on just this issue by one John Laws, whom we are informed in the heading of his column, is "Australia's Most Famous Radio Personality". Well, supporters will take as further evidence of the "moral sickness" of the times we live in the comment by "Australia's Most Famous Radio Personality" that "Certainly it (random breath testing) is an infringement of civil liberties. But people will get over that."

There is no question that multiculturalism is dividing Australia, and Australians. Even organisations are being divided. A letter appeared in The Age (Melbourne) March 4th from the National President of the Returned Services League - Sir William Keys. Quite obviously, Sir William goes along with multiculturalism: he does not speak for the Victorian Chapter of the R.S.L. under the Presidency of Mr. Bruce Ruxton. So national policy of the R.S.L. on immigration is not Victorian State R.S.L. policy on immigration and multiculturalism, and it supports Mr. Bruce Ruxton.

There have been some excellent letters appearing in the Melbourne metropolitan newspapers in recent days. We hope that this trend has extended to other cities and towns. Over the name of a "Denis Walker", of North Melbourne, appeared yet another, under the heading "Vote On White Australia Policy". We are not able to reproduce the whole letter, but some points should be noted:
"At present 68% of Australians want the racial composition of this country to remain essentially European." (source - National Times, 13.9.81) It would appear that the politicians and senior public servants are disregarding the wishes of the majority of the Australian community on this issue. "What is needed is a national referendum so that the issue can be publicly debated, in depth. This would permit the Australian people to decide the racial composition that they feel is most suitable to this country."

An Actionist from Gayndah, (Qld.) has sent us a clipping from the "Queensland Rural Bulletin" (Feb. 1982) in which Professor Ted Wheelwright of Sydney University is quoted at length. He is known by us to be well on the left in his political thinking; nevertheless, he makes some valid points:
Monetarist policies of the Governments of the U.S.A., Britain and Australia are based on theories long disproved, and that unchecked, they will lead to disaster. The monetarist policies of dear money have produced usurious rates of interest, which benefit rich lenders (banks) at the expense of the remainder of the population; especially the small businessman, farmer. When corporations borrow money for business, the interest they pay is tax deductible. They pay just about half the nominal rate, but this does not apply for housing loans for the people. Another reason is that people who lend money to businesses have to pay tax on their nominal interest but business gets a full tax deduction. This means that inflation and the tax system conspire to transfer wealth from household lenders to corporate borrowers.