‘No links’ with Canadian party

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 5

‘No links’ with Canadian party

PA Palmerston North Mr B. C. Beetham is not surprised at all that the fourth party in the Canadian General Election, the Quebec-based Social Credit partv, lost all the five seats it held in the last Parliament. “The Canadian Federal Social Credit Party is almost entirely French and almost entirely wrapped up with the separatist movement,” he said. “That’s why it got wiped out." New Zealand’s Social Credit League identified with the British Columbia Social Credit Government which was pursuing “very successful policies,” said Mr Beetham, but not with the defeated Quebec-based

group which had “rather antiquated policies.” Mr Beetham said many people were confused about the difference between the small Federal Social Credit party, based almost entirely in Quebec, and the “full-blooded operation” of the Social Credit Government in British Columbia. The New Zealand party had no links or contacts with the Federal Party, but it had strong links with the British Columbia Social Credit Government. “We don’t read any significance for ourselves in the Federal party’s demise,” he said. “But we might read some significance in it if the British Columbian Government was toppled.” ■