William Kashtan (27 June 1909 – 1993) was the general secretary of the Communist Party of Canada for 23 years beginning in January 1965, several months following the death of Leslie Morris, until his retirement in 1988. The delay in his assuming of the position was due to the opposition of Tim Buck to his appointment. He visited Spain early in the Spanish Civil War and on his return helped organize the Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion. His views on the Soviet-Afghan war can be summarized in his 1980 speech at University of Alberta: