|
Socialist Action/Ligue pour L'Action Socialiste is a cross-country revolutionary socialist organization
with members and supporters actively fighting for a Workers' Agenda in the
unions, in the labour-based New Democratic Party, anti-poverty and feminist
movements, against the global corporate trade deals, and for environmental
protection and solidarity with the struggles of working people and the
oppressed worldwide. Socialist Action is in political solidarity with the
Fourth International, the global Trotskyist movement active on every
continent and for over 65 years in the forefront of workers' struggles
against imperialism and Stalinism.
Socialist Action is based on the democratic principle of full membership
debate on programme and strategy, followed by unity in action. We are
fighting for a world fit for human beings, and for a mass revolutionary
party to lead the struggle to victory. If you agree with what we stand for,
we invite you to join us!
 “I Ain’t
Marching Anymore!” An evening with Phil Ochs, featuring
Zachary Stevenson, July 24 at 8pm at the OISE Auditorium, 252 Bloor St. in
Toronto. For more info check the
activist calendar on the right hand menu bar of this page. You can also download a copy of the event flier by clicking here
Report on the
National Assembly: Efforts to unite the U.S.
anti-war movement in mass protest actions received a big boost at a
conference held in Cleveland, Ohio on the June 27-29 weekend. Stats
tell part of the story of the National Assembly to End the Iraq War and
Occupation: over 500 organizations and individuals sponsored the
gathering; 416 registered participants converged from across the U.S. --
which was double the anticipated attendance. (Four people from
Toronto were there too.) continued
To read an
evaluation of the conference put out by some of the conference organizers
click here. And to view photos of the event, click here.
“A World in
Revolt” Really Rocks! I asked Cuban scientist,
writer, and educator Celia Hart what she thought of the international
conference “A World in Revolt – Prospects for Socialism in the 21st
Century” held in Toronto, May 22-25.
continued
Celia Hart
Speaks: Literature sales were brisk at “A World in
Revolt”, with close to a thousand dollars spent on the purchase of mostly
small booklets, newspapers and magazines. Of the five newest titles
issued by Socialist Action, the best seller was “The Cuban Revolution and a
World in Revolt – Celia Hart Speaks, Selected articles and interviews
2005-2008". This was followed in popularity by “An Injury to One
is an Injury to All! – What’s at Stake in the Fight for Immigrant Rights?”
by James Frickey and Andrew Pollack, “Stop the Occupation of Iraq!
Bring the Troops Home Now!” by Jeff Mackler and Andrew Pollack, “The End of
the Blue Collar ‘Middle Class’ – Ramifications of historic UAW surrender”
by Bill Onasch, and “Revolutionary Socialist Politics Today” by Jeff
Mackler. continued
CLC Convention
‘08 – Another Dog & Pony Show: In the lengthening
shadows of economic recession, debilitating labour concessions, and a
global food crisis, the 25 Constitutional Convention of the Canadian Labour
Congress convened, and was marked mostly by platitudes, policies and plans
devoid of action. continued
Labour’s
Retreat is Built on Concessions: Today, concessions
bargaining is the norm in the face of employer aggressiveness. In the
de-regulated private sector (where, for example, the World Trade Organization
(WTO) swept aside the U.S.-Canada Auto Pact rules that tied market access
to investment levels), major industrial unions like the Canadian Auto
Workers (CAW) now lobby government to subsidize the auto giants in order to
attract investment. This perspective undermines workers’ independence
from management, and weakens arguments against speed-up and wage/benefit
concessions demanded in the interest of ‘global competitiveness’. continued
U.S. Deserters
Welcome in Canada, Eh? The Canadian House of Commons
voted 137 to 110 on June 3 urging the government to allow U.S. military
deserters and their families to remain in Canada as permanent residents
instead of deporting them to face possible jail time. continued
Mega-Profits
for Big Oil: Petro-Canada, Royal Dutch Shell and BP
collectively amassed $17.8 billion in first-quarter profits -- exceeding all
expectations as the price of crude oil continued to surge above $135 (U.S.)
a barrel. continued
Anti-Mining
Protesters Freed: On May 28, just a day before
the second annual Aboriginal Day of Action across the Canadian state, an
Ontario Court of Appeal judge released native leader Bob Lovelace and six
members of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI). continued
NDP Federal
Convention Postponed to August ‘09: New
Democratic Party officials present at the CLC Convention told this reporter
that the party’s federal convention, originally slated for Halifax, Nova
Scotia in September 2008, is now postponed to occur in late August 2009 in
Halifax. continued
Canadian
Jewish Groups Challenge Zionist Monopoly: More
than a hundred people answered the call of the Alliance of Concerned Jews
of Canada (ACJC) to attend its first-ever conference, March 28-30 at the
Steelworkers Hall in Toronto. It was a long-awaited sign of a small
but important change in the Jewish community. continued
May Day 2008
in Toronto: Over 70 people crowded into the Free Times Cafe
on the evening of May 1 for the 22nd Annual Toronto Socialist Action May
Day Celebration. A joyous evening of words and music, of political
solidarity and song ensued. The occasion was dedicated to the memory
of Norm Hacking, Toronto folk music legend and a mainstay of recent SA May
Days, who passed away at age 57 last November. continued
CUPW (re)Turns
Left: The nearly 700 delegates to
the 23rd tri-ennial convention of the Canadian Union of
Postal Workers at the Ottawa Congress Centre elected a new president on
April 17 who promises to turn the page on concessions bargaining. He
is Denis Lemelin, originally from Sherbrooke, Quebec. He served as the
Union's 2nd National Vice President since 1999. continued
“Terror” Case
Disintegrates: The Canadian cops’ “poster”
case in the “war on terrorism” is falling apart. During the week of
April 14, 2008, charges against four more of the " Toronto
18" were stayed. Along with the three men who were previously
released, the case of the "Toronto 18"
has now been whittled down to the "Toronto
11". continued
Ethnic Shift
May Force Tory Retreat on Immigration: As if
they didn’t already have enough trouble over the Chuck Cadman affair,
NAFTA-gate, the cover-up of torture of Afghan detainees, 20 year old Canadian citizen Omar
Khadr still held in Guantanamo Prison after nearly five
years, and the RCMP raid on Conservative Party headquarters in Ottawa
over allegations of violating the election expenses law, the federal Tories
seem to be cruising for a bruising on their proposed changes to the
Immigration Act. They aim to empower the Immigration Minister to
increase discrimination against Muslims, Arabs and South Asians, while
simultaneously promoting a “guest worker” programme to intensify the
exploitation of migrant labour. continued
Solidarity
With KI 6 & Ardoch Algonquin First Nation: In
February 2008, leaders of the Ardoch Algonquins were sentenced for contempt
due to their unwavering opposition to uranium exploration on their traditional
territory in eastern Ontario. Bob Lovelace, a Queen’s University
professor and an Ardoch spokesperson, was sentenced to six months detention
and fined $25,000 (with further costs against him and other community
members pending). Chief Paula Sherman was fined $15,000.
Leaders of the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation also face contempt
charges. continued
Thousands
Protest Afghan “Mission”: Despite
best efforts by the Conservative government to keep it under wraps, news
that the Canadian military intervention in Afghanistan is more than $1
billion over budget leaked out just before Parliament voted to approve a
two year extension of the “mission.” continued
Federal
By-Elections – A Warning to the NDP: Despite
best efforts by the Conservative government to keep it under wraps, news
that the Canadian military intervention in Afghanistan is more than $1
billion over budget leaked out just before Parliament voted to approve a
two year extension of the “mission.” continued
Harper’s
Tories More Blatantly Pro-Zionist: When
the UN Human Rights Council voted in March to condemn Israel for a recent
armed invasion of the Gaza Strip that claimed more than 120 lives, many of
them civilian, and accused Israel of war crimes, the lone dissenter was
Canada. The vote was 33 to 1, with13 countries abstaining. (Israel and the
U.S. are not members of the UNHRC.) continued
Ontario Owes
$78 Million to Pay Equity: Canada’s richest province is
shortchanging female workers to the tune of $78 million, leaving its
government open to another Charter of Rights challenge on pay equity, says
the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. continued
Toronto
Conference Will Be a Hit: “A
World in Revolt” is shaping up to be the hit international left educational
gathering of the Spring season. Sub-titled “Prospects for Socialism
in the 21st Century”, the conference set for Toronto,
Canada, May 22-25, now has an agenda packed with topics and speakers
sure to stimulate critical thinking and action for a long time to
come. continued
La Lutte
Palestinienne Toujours A L’Ordre Du Jour: La
lutte de libération nationale palestinienne est encore à l’ordre du jour
malgré la férocité et la brutalité de la machine de guerre israélienne
largement financée par l’impérialisme américain. Au cours de l’été 2006, la
bande de Gaza a été soumise à une attaque militaire de grande envergure de
la part de l’armée israélienne qui a détruit notamment l’unique centrale
électrique de Gaza en plus de tuer un grand nombre de civils palestiniens.
La guerre d’Israël contre la bande de Gaza a été quelque peu occultée par
les médias bourgeois occidentaux à cause de la guerre contre le Liban qui a
été également profondément meurtrière et destructrice. Encore une fois
l’État sioniste a joui d’une impunité totale en perpétrant ses innombrables
crimes de guerre. continued
Federal Budget
& the Afghanistan War:
Paralyzed by fear of electoral defeat, and out-maneuvered by the
Conservative Party, the Liberal Party displayed cowardice, and ‘principles’
made of play dough. continued
Canadian
Corporate Profits Soar: Not
in the least deterred by the widely predicted North American recession,
Canadian corporations recorded operating profits of $262.5 billion, led by
banks, retailers, wholesalers and petroleum refiners. continued
NATO Projects
Biggest Heroin Harvest of All Times: Just
to remind its U.K. readers of the ‘noble cause’ for which British troops
are occupying, killing people and getting killed in Afghanistan,
London’s
“The Daily Mail” reported in February:
continued
“A World in
Revolt” Conf. Set for Toronto, May 22-25: You won't want to miss
this. Four days of stimulating,
enriching political education, discussions and debates on the biggest
issues facing humanity. Get set for
an exciting tri-national revolutionary socialist conference titled "A
World in Revolt: Prospects for Socialism in the 21st Century",
to be held in Toronto, Canada, May 22-25, 2008. continued
Trade
Unionists Must Be the Agents for Human Survival: It is
easy to forget that this ‘universal agreement’ you speak of is in fact only
very recent. It was the IPCC’s 4th Assessment Report, published less than a
year ago, which drove the final nail into the coffin of climate skepticism.
Up until then public opinion was seriously divided on the issue, even among
sections of the left, and this was mainly due to the massive PR effort of
the fossil fuel and auto industries.Of course, the vested interests that
promoted climate skepticism for so many years still exist, and they are as
rich and powerful as ever. Only the other day, Royal Dutch Shell posted
profits of £13.9 billion for 2007 (which works out at over £1.5 million per
hour) – the biggest profit ever recorded for a UK company. continued
Canadian Sweatshop Operator in Haiti
Reports Banner Year: The Canadian government's
involvement in the ongoing United Nations' military occupation of Haiti,
the poorest country in the western hemisphere, is not confined to picking
up the slack of its imperial allies, and it is certainly not about
humanitarian aid. But it is at
least partly about fostering conditions conducive to Canadian corporate
profiteering. continued
CAW Sell-Out Spreads: A news release issued on January
15 by the Service Employee's International Union reveals that an
organization funded by the CAW has reached a Magna-style sweetheart deal
with Hallmark Housekeeping Services Inc, a large janitorial company. The deal could thwart the SEIU's Justice
for Janitors campaign which had signed up over 1000 Hallmark workers in the
Toronto area in a legitimate unionization bid. continued
Che Lives: To commemorate the fortieth
anniversary of the death of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara in 2007, and the
eightieth anniversary of his birth in 2008, author Richard L. Harris, a
professor of global studies at California State University, persuaded his
publisher to issue a new edition of “Death of a Revolutionary – Che
Guevara's Last Mission” (W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2007, 315
pages, $20 in Canada). continued
Norm Hacking 1950-2007:
Toronto’s folk music scene lost a living legend when Norm Hacking passed
away on November 25. The songwriter, performer, poet, columnist and
irrepressible romantic died of heart failure at his home in Toronto. continued
CAW Delegates Drink the Magna Cool-Aid:
Following a four-hour debate, delegates to the Canadian Auto Workers
Council voted in Toronto on December 7 to endorse the union's 'Framework of
Fairness' Agreement with auto parts giant Magna. The company's
voluntary union recognition deal sees the CAW abandon the right to strike
and give up the election of local worker reps. in Magna plants in favour of
a 'selection' process in which management has an equal say. continued
The Mounties Almost Always Zap Their
Man: The stun gun death of a Polish immigrant on
October 14 at the hands of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has
drawn worldwide condemnation. At least seven official investigations
are underway into the electronic weapon and its increasing use by
cops. continued
NDP Defeated in Saskatchewan:
Sixteen years of New Democratic Party government in the western prairie
province of Saskatchewan ended on November 7 when the right
wing Saskatchewan Party captured 37 seats to the NDP’s 21. continued
What Happened to Employment Insurance? The
workers’ movement fought for and won employment insurance (E.I.) some 50
years ago to help workers survive bouts of unemployment. But by
making it much harder for unemployed Canadians to qualify for benefits, Ottawa
turned E.I. into a rich revenue stream that contributed more than 70 per
cent of the funds required to balance the budget in the 1997-98 fiscal
year, according to a new study. continued
Momentum Grows in Bid to Free the Cuban
5: The largest North American conference yet held in the
ongoing campaign to free the five Cuban political prisoners, imprisoned
nearly a decade in the United States for their anti-terrorist activities,
took place in Toronto, November 9-10. Participants
came from across English Canada, Quebec, the
U.S., Argentina and Cuba. continued
CAW Surrender to Magna Endangers Right
to Strike: Widely seen as a shameless dues-grab, the deal between
the Canadian Auto Workers’ Union and the Canada-based auto parts giant Magna
International to ‘unionize’ the employees minus the right to strike, and
sans shop floor elections, has rocked the labour movement. It is a tragic
sign of where the CAW is going, with profound implications for the entire
workers’ movement. continued
Behind Tory, NDP Gains in Quebec: Political
spin-doctors have been busy since the three federal by-elections in
Quebec. On September 17 the Conservative Party and the New Democratic
Party won one seat each, and the pro-independence Bloc Quebecois held on to
Saint Hyacinthe-Bagot. continued
Nunavut’s Housing Crisis Causes Lung
Disease: The housing crisis in Canada’s
northernmost territory, Nunavut, has been blamed for a range of social
problems from poor school performance to family violence. Now a new
study points to it as the cause of the highest rate of hospital admissions
in the world for infants with respiratory infections. continued
Unionization Rate in Canada 2.5 Times
U.S. Rate: Statistics Canada reports that
during the first half of 2007, union membership in Canada increased by
72,000 to 4.2 million. The rate of unionization remained at 29.7 per
cent, with a wide disparity between the public sector (71.7 per cent) and
the private sector (17 per cent). Overall, decreases were seen in
Quebec, Saskatchewan and in Alberta (despite its current oil-based economic
boom), while increases in union strength were registered in the seven other
provinces. continued
Bitter Fruits of Afghan War: Heroin
from Afghanistan, a country where over 2500 Canadian soldiers serve in an
imperialist occupation, is increasingly making its way to Canada and poses
a direct threat to the public, according to documents obtained by The
Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. continued
Bahman Moayedi 1944-2007: Over
120 friends, family and political comrades of Bahman Moayedi gathered to
celebrate his life on April 1 at an Iranian restaurant in Richmond Hill,
north of Toronto.
We were drawn together by the stunning, sudden loss of someone so animated
by love, honesty, human solidarity and a relentless drive for social
justice. continued
Black Lacks the Discreet Charm of the
Bourgeoisie: It’s
not so much that he stole. It’s that he did it with unbridled
arrogance, unapologetic zeal, and lavish ostentation. Now that Conrad
Black, a.k.a. Baron Black of Crossharbour, former CEO of Hollinger
International, is a convicted felon four times over, facing up to 35 years
in an American jail, the capitalist media chooses to dwell on... his
hubris. continued
‘Soft Cop’ Harper Fools Few in Haiti
& Latin America: When Canada’s Prime Minister
Stephen Harper completed
his tour of Latin America
and the Caribbean
with a brief stopover in Haiti on July
20, he yielded a revealing photo-op. The picture published in the
Toronto Star showed Harper posing with a wan smile amidst a number of
Haitian patients and relatives at a Canadian-funded hospital in the
impoverished slum of Cite Soleil. The Haitians seem to be completely
ignoring Harper, fixing their weary gaze in other directions. continued
Harper’s Worthless Concession on Afghan
War: Conservative Prime
Minister Stephen Harper’s pledge not to extend the Canadian military
intervention in Afghanistan beyond the February 2009 deadline without the
agreement of all parties in Parliament, isn’t worth
the proverbial paper on which it is printed. continued
Grim Forecast for Canada-U.S. Climate: By the
end of the 21st century, fires will destroy twice as much forest every year
in Canada, 20 per cent of the icy Arctic will be greened by tundra, and
Great Lakes water levels will be significantly lower. All this is according
to the second report this year from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), issued in April. continued
York Univ. Protester Wins Free Speech
Fight: Pro-Palestinian activist
Daniel Freeman-Maloy will be back at Toronto’s York University this fall, louder
and more determined than ever to build a movement against war and
occupation, following a dual victory over university officials. continued
Farmers Squeezed by Rising Costs: Canada’s
farms are dwindling in number and almost half of those that remain cannot
cover their expenses, according to Statistics Canada. The number of farms declined by
7% in the past five years, leaving 17,550 fewer farms and 19,140 fewer
farmers, according to a census agriculture report released in May. The drop
was most pronounced in Newfoundland and Labrador, which lost 13% of its
farms, and Saskatchewan,
where the numbers fell by 12%. However, the total farm area in the
country remained virtually unchanged at 67.6 million hectares. The report
attributes that consistency to the “resilience” of farmers finding new ways
to work, and to the growth of larger farms. continued
Female Graduates Get Paid Less: Nowadays, women outnumber men at universities, overall
they get better grades, and yet women get paid less than men after
graduation. Surprising to many is
not the well-documented existence of the income gap, but that it starts so
soon. continued
NDP Wins Historic 3rd
Majority in Manitoba: The labour-based New Democratic Party in Manitoba won a historic
third majority government in the province's 39th general election on May
22. The NDP, under Leader Gary
Doer, elected 36 members, equaling a record set by the Conservatives under
premier Duff Roblin in the 1960s. continued
Canadian Corporate Profits Reach Record
High: When
defenders of private enterprise tell you business cannot afford to pay
decent wages and benefits today, please tell them this: Canadian
corporations achieved record-high operating profits of $231.7 billion in
2006, according to Statistics Canada
data released on February 22. continued
Minimum Wage Campaign on the Rise: The campaign to raise the minimum wage, long
advocated by socialists and anti-poverty groups, and now spearheaded by the
New Democratic Party and local labour councils, is registering important
gains. continued
Review of “The God Delusion”: Although humanity is more secular in outlook than ever before, religious
fundamentalism remains an ideological bulwark of the imperial agenda, and
sadly, also a refuge for the oppressed. Christian opponents of abortion and
stem cell research in the U.S. are in the front ranks of enthusiasts for
the Iraq war, capital punishment, and George W. Bush. continued
Ammunition Against the Empire: Need a crash course on the present state of the world? Want to
untangle the terminology, separate the victims from the victimizers,
understand the dynamics of unilateralism, and deduce what can be done about
it all? I'd like to introduce you to a small literary arsenal. A good place to begin is the book Hugo
Chavez recommended to the world from the podium of the United Nations last
September. continued
James P. Cannon As We Knew Him: This re-discovered book is a very pleasant
surprise indeed. I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in the
connection between revolutionary socialist principles, programme and
organization. During my vacation reading time, I approached it as a light
literary bridge between weightier tomes. I imagined it as a collection of
tributes and accolades by admirers, but found it to be much more than
that. continued
Le Québec et La
Question Nationale dans L’État Canadien: L’ACAE, l’Alliance canadienne des
associations étudiantes, le groupe fédéral étudiant de pression, a été
fondée dans un effort de diviser le mouvement étudiant, alors que la
Fédération canadienne commençait à montrer son pouvoir réel dans ses
mobilisations étudiantes. L’ACAE a initié sa première campagne, intitulée
« L’éducation construit une nation », autour de 1994. Elle voyait
ça comme un moment crucial pour avoir une « unité nationale ». continuez
L’Indépendence du Québec Encore à
L’Oordre du Jour: Quoique
incompréhensible à de nombreuses personnes au Canada anglais, la question
de l’indépendance nationale du Québec continue de peser lourdement dans la vie
politique de cette province et du Canada tout entier. Que les élections
fédérales du 23 janvier amènent ou non un autre gouvernement minoritaire,
une chose est claire : le Québec et le reste du Canada vivent dans des
univers politiques différents et le gouffre entre eux va en
s’élargissant. continuez
[labour donated by union labour]
Issues From 1996-2003:
Click here for info on how to subscribe to Socialist Action
newspaper.
|
