Significance of 1989 Meeting in Chertsey, Quebec
The importance of the meeting held in Chertsey, Quebec in August 1989 becomes ever more evident with the passage of time.
At the time of the Chertsey speech the world was in a period of transition from flow of revolution to retreat of revolution. Within a short while the world saw many changes to the situation including the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the bi-polar division of the world. As Comrade Bains described five years later looking back on the Chertsey meeting, "A great movement of the peoples demanding deep going economic transformations was still in the making and was gaining momentum in various parts of the world, especially in Eastern Europe as well as in some other places. However, this movement turned against itself. It was manipulated by world imperialism and revisionism. From a flow of revolution, the situation turned into one of retreat in a matter of a few months after the Chertsey conference.... [T]he Chertsey conference was for us a statement on the part of CPC(M-L) that not only will the Party not be manipulated by world imperialism and revisionism but that it must continue to carry out its work."
Comrade Bains' elaboration of the nature of that period prepared the Canadian revolutionary forces for what was to come by analyzing precisely what was unfolding nationally and internationally at that crucial turning point. He spoke of the historic world victory led by the Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin against Nazi-fascism and the social programs created by the socialist societies. He warned about the grave dangers posed by Anglo-American imperialism and world reaction and described the great tragedies unleashed on the world's people by U.S. imperialism -- the numerous wars, invasions, coups d'état and medieval violence against the peoples striving for independence and social progress. He warned of greater tragedies to come.
The prediction of Hardial Bains that the anti-communist hysteria being whipped up by world reaction would bring about an assault on the peoples of the imperialist heartlands and elsewhere became a reality. The old world shouted with euphoria that "communism was dead" and "history had come to an end." He predicted that this euphoria would turn into darkest revenge and reaction which is what we are seeing and resisting today. He led CPC(M-L) to prepare for the treachery arising within all forces which persisted in acting in the old way, including within its own ranks. He led CPC(M-L) to stand steadfast and true.
In this regard, Comrade Bains militantly set out what the communists should do next to further build CPC(M-L) as the political party of the working class so as to realize the political unity of the people. Putting greatest emphasis on the need to elaborate theory as the summation of the working class movement for emancipation, he defended the modern communist world outlook as the necessary condition to usher in a human-centred society. He predicted with certainty that the youth, despite all of the anti-communism promoted by reaction, would answer the call of the communists to take a stand for a just cause. He declared, "We say very openly that we want the rule of the working class and no one else... because it is the working class which is the producing class and is the most thoroughgoing revolutionary class whose aims cannot be achieved without overthrowing capitalism through revolution.... Today it does not matter which question is taken up... the bourgeoisie cannot find a solution. Only the working class can find a solution. It is the working class which is at the centre, and our views are the views of the working class."
Comrade Bains pointed out that the most important problem in terms of specific work is to win the mass of workers over to the side of history. "One should go with a passion, like one goes towards a loved one because this beloved of ours, the working class, is the only social force which can save the world, save humankind," he said.
Referring to the grave danger posed by Anglo-American imperialism and world reaction, Comrade Bains pointed out that there is no other way to save the world from the crisis which is looming. "The working class can lose battles but not the war," he said.
He addressed the communist spirit which imbues the revolutionary movement. This movement has given rise to a new personality, he said, because the party carries out its work consciously and with a plan.
Five years after the Chertsey meeting, speaking about the deed of the party, Comrade Bains pointed out, "In August 1989 on behalf of CPC(M-L) I had declared that new men and women have come into being on the soil of Canada. Who are these new persons, new human beings that came into being? Those who had lofty ideals, honesty and sincerity, a clear conscience and they sacrificed everything they had. They trail-blazed a new way of living under the conditions of capitalist decay. Such a colossal achievement is now coming under fire of those who want a part-time revolutionary lifestyle. They are telling us we are extreme to demand that one should watch one's words and deeds, that CPC(M-L) will not, in any shape or form, conciliate with the filth and rottenness capitalist society in its decay is bringing forth. They are trying to suggest that communists should divide their lives in two: one dealing with the way they carry out politics and the other with the way they live. If we degenerate into such a kind of 'communist' we will become two-faced, we will be a bourgeois decadent force and we are not going to become such a force. We have never recognized imbecility or sterility in terms of our overall work, nor do we accept impotency in the face of the situation. Our Party speaks with the deepest convictions on every front. There is no ocean in the world which is deeper than that. Its ideals are loftier than the highest peaks of the Himalayas and its resolve is such that nobody can yet define it."
Today, when both
nationally and
internationally treachery and betrayal have become a way
of life
for the Anglo-American imperialists and big powers of Old
Europe, the Chertsey meeting is an event that assumes
greater
significance with each passing day. Chertsey stood then
and
stands larger still today as the symbol of strength,
maturity
and vitality of the Communist Party of Canada
(Marxist-Leninist). The speech delivered by Comrade Bains
provides crucial guidelines which enable modern human
beings to
take control over their lives. It provided the guidelines
which
allowed the Party to launch its nation-building Historic
Initiative in 1995 and the plans of action to stepwise
address
its requirements. It led to the adoption of the program
Stop
Paying the Rich -- Increase Funding for Social
Programs! in
1997
and, despite the monumental loss of Comrade Bains on
August 24,
1997, to the success of the Party's 7th Congress held in
1998
which adopted the Party's Historic Initiative and its 8th
Congress held in 2008 under the theme "Laying the
Foundations of
the Mass Communist Party."
Comrade Bains concluded that historic meeting at
Chertsey with
the exclamation, "... we will march together and realize
the
tasks which we have set for the present time. Watch us --
we
will win!"
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 8 - August 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/M540083.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca