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In The News
► Financial Crisis ◄
► Canadian Election and the Left ◄
► U.S. Election and the Left ◄
► Durban II ◄
► CLC Convention ◄
Daily updates from the floor of the CLC convention by Roger Annis, delegate from IAM Local 11.
Roger maintains a blog at rogerannis.blogspot.com.
► Russian Left ◄
► German Left ◄
► Kosovo ◄
► Pakistan ◄
► Venezuela and the Boliverian Revolution ◄
► CAW and Magna Agreement ◄
► Ontario Election 2007 ◄
- LABOUR AND COMMUNITY GROUPS ENDORSE MMP
- Toronto & York Region Labour Council: "Take A Stand For Strong Democracy"
- Socialist Project Public Forum: From Faith-Based Schools to MMP to Poverty: The Left and the Ontario Election
Presentation by Bryan Evans. MP3 Audio (32mins)
- Toronto & York Region Labour Council press release (Aug 24, 2007):
FIFTY DAYS TILL THE HISTORIC REFERENDUM
Vote for MMP Campaign gearing up!
On October 10th, Ontario voters have the chance to make history. The referendum on electoral reform could bring an end to
the “first-past-the-post” system that gives unwarranted majorities to political parties without the support of the majority of voters.
The Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform has recommended that Ontario should change its voting system to a mixed member proportional (MMP)
voting system similar to those used in New Zealand, Germany, Scotland and Wales. You can watch a great short video by diverse members of the
Citizens Assembly explaining their work by going to www.voteforMMP.ca or www.citizensassembly.gov.on.ca
This system combines strong local representation while ensuring that parties win seats in proportion to their overall voter support.
Ontario would have 90 ridings plus the legislature would have another 39 at-large seats which would be filled from a list depending on the
portion of votes their party received. The Assembly picked this system because it gives voters more choice, fair results and true majority rule,
and has tended to produce legislatures with more women and diverse representation.
This is a crucial issue for working people. Given that few voters are even aware that this referendum will happen in October,
we have a huge task ahead to educate and mobilize both union members and the public. For material or information, contact
Judy Persad at 416-441-3663 X224 or the VoteforMMP office at 416-644-1034
► Stop the SPP ◄
In March 2005, Paul Martin, George W. Bush and Vicente Fox met in Waco, Texas to ratify the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). The
next meeting is scheduled for August 20-21, 2007 in Montebello, Québec. WikiPedia entry about the SPP.
Organizations working to stop SPP:
Events/Articles:
- Public Forum-Toronto (Aug 1, 2007): Building an opposition to the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America
- Justin Podur - Introduction
- Linda McQuaig - Author, Holding the Bully's Coat: Canada and the US Empire
- Paloma Villegas - Organizer, Member of No One Is Illegal - Toronto
- Rogelio Fuentes - Mexican Activist, Member of OCAP
- Hassan Yussuf - Secretary-Treasurer, Canadian Labour Congress
- Liisa - mobilizing to stop the SPP
- Public Meeting-Toronto (July 15, 2007): Resisting the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP)
- Herman Rosenfeld: Introduction.
- Greg Albo: Political Economy of SPP.
"Quite clearly, the phase that we're in right now is a phase of both Mexico and Canada growing with the U.S. under this phase of neoliberalism.
And, different than the other phases this has not just been about the international circulation of capital that is Canadian investments
going into Mexico, or U.S. investments going into Mexico and vice-versa. Much more this has also been about a phase of linking of state structures
through the projects of integration - through the means of integration. This is a critical difference historically from the way that
Canada and Mexico have linked with the U.S."
- Herman Rosenfeld: What is SPP? Organising against SPP.
The SPP "is not a signed treaty. NAFTA was a signed treaty. CAFTA was a signed treaty. It is not. It's not been debated in legislative
institutions. But it's a process that's driven by the top parts of the state apparatus in all three countries. Along with the direct participation
as well as the collusion of the leaders of the largest corporations."
- Q + A: Anti-Neoliberal coalition etc...
"Neoliberalism is more and more discredited as an ideology, among the people, popularly, but at the same time it's still gaining terrain.
In particular, you see in order to gain that terrain it's also having to harden - or become more authoritarian. You really see in this case
where - much like the war, displacing parliament, strengthening the executive. It's remarkable ... that in a sense the state has given to the
Council of Chief Executives state responsibility."
- IndyMedia Ottawa (Aug 22, 2007): Evidence of deployment of provocateurs mounts
- Canadian Labour Congress (Aug 15, 2007): Press Release "Security and Prosperity Partnership"
- ACT for the Earth (Aug 12, 2007): Wonder Why There Were “Politically Motivated” Arrests of Ottawa Activists?
- Ottawa Citizen (July 12, 2007): Police nix meeting near world leaders
- COC Action Alert (July 12, 2007): Stop SPP talks, consult with Canadians now
- COC Press Release (July 11, 2007): RCMP, U.S. Army block public forum on the Security and Prosperity Partnership
- Linda McQuaig (July 9, 2007): "Three Amigos" to meet in Montebello
- The Tyee (June 8, 2007): The Plan to Disappear Canada by Murray Dobbin
► Minimum Wage $10 - Second Phase: RESPECT People. Work. Communities! ◄
On Tuesday, May 22nd 2007, Labour Council and
community allies launched the next phase of the $10 Minimum Wage campaign – the fight for RESPECT! It encompasses
six key issues that were raised time after time in the town hall meetings with low wage workers across Toronto.
Events in the campaign:
- Jane-Finch, May 29th at 7:30pm, Driftwood Comm. Centre, Driftwood/Jane - POSTPONED
- Thorncliffe, June 11th at 6:30pm, East York Town Centre, 45 Overlea Blvd # 108
- Rexdale, June 18th at 7:00pm, Microskills, 1 Vulcan Drive
- Scarborough, June 23rd at 2:00pm, Location TBC – The campaign for RESPECT will be supporting
this community meeting being planned by the
Workers' Action Centre
- Weston-Mt Dennis, June 25th at 7:00 pm, Location TBC
See also www.amillionreasons.ca.
► May Day ◄
“What you need to know about May Day” - by Leo Panitch: HTML (with soundtrack) | PDF
► Labour for Palestine ◄
Palestinian trade unions recently issued an
urgent call for international solidarity calling for a boycott of Israeli apartheid and
the racist Histadrut. Labour for Palestine, a group of cross-union rank and file activists active in the
Coalition Againt Israeli Apartheid,
has just produced an exciting new volume on the nature of the BDS campaign within the labour movement. On March 25th, the new book
Labour For Palestine: A Reader for Unionists and Activists was launched at the Steelworkers Hall in Toronto. To obtain a copy of
this invaluable resource for your union, local, workers' resource center, campus, congregation or community center contact Labour
for Palestine at labour@caiaweb.org or visit the
Toronto Women's Bookstore.
March 25, 2007: Book Launch - Labour for Palesine
Introduction - Rafeef Ziadah (3:47),
Adam Hanieh - (20:24),
Katherine Nastovski - (9:36),
Lynda Lemberg - (20:30),
Herman Rosenfeld - (18:52),
► Minimum Wage $10 ◄
The Ontario NDP, the
Toronto & York Region Labour Council and many other organizations are working together
to get the minimum wage in Ontario raised to $10 per hour. A report published in the Toronto Star (Jan 25, 2007) "You just can't live on $8".
January 24, 2007: YouTube Video: $10 Minimum Wage Campaign Kick-off (Parkdale Library).
February 11, 2007: SP Forum: The Living Wages Challenge to Neoliberalism. Featuring John Cartwright, Toronto and York Region Labour Council PDF poster
Herman Rosenfeld: Introduction (2:09),
John Cartwright:
part i: setting the stage for the current campaign - the journey begins - (7:00),
part ii: early victories (Proud Union City) - (7:33),
part iii: more victories (2003 Municipal Elections) - (7:11),
part iv: a framework for the campaign - (8:51),
part v: the present campaign - (10:48).
March 1, 2007: CCPA report: The Rich and the Rest of Us
► January 1, 2007:
Happy New Year
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► December, 2006: Municipal Politics ◄
December 3, 2006: Measuring the Miller Regime: Toronto Politics, Unions and the Left .
Introduction - Greg Albo (2:37),
David Kidd - CUPE (27:11),
Stefan Kipfer - York University (17:29).
Andrea Calver - UNITE-HERE (15:07).
► November, 2006: Oaxaca ◄
November 6, 2006: YouTube Video: Oaxaca - A Victory in The Streets.
This video is of the events in Oaxaca on Nov.2 in front of the university of Oaxaca when the federal police tried to break in and destroy the radio station, the people's main communication tool to each other, and to the outside world. The whole town came out to defend and fight back and they won a great victory.
November 5, 2006: The Oaxaca Uprising, the Crisis of the Mexican State and the Left.
Introduction - Peter Graham (2:49),
Dick Roman - Professor of Sociology and frequent writer on Mexico (25:46),
Rogelio Cuevas Fuentes - Oaxacan-born political activist currently living in Toronto (24:42).
► October, 2006: Peace ◄
October 28, 2006: Pictures of the Oct 28th Peace Rally in Toronto.
► July/Aug, 2006: Mid-East ◄
Feb, 2007: ISR interview with Gilbert Achcar "Lebanon and the Middle East crisis."
Aug 12, 2006: Pictures of the Aug 12th Rally in Toronto.
Aug 6, 2006: interview with Gilbert Achcar "The Middle East in Flames."
July 22, 2006: Pictures of the July 22nd Rally in Toronto.
July 19, 2006: Animated cartoon by Mike Constable (requires Flash player)
June 19, 2006: Support from Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions for CUPE Resolution.
June 19, 2006: Support from Steelworkers for CUPE Resolution.
June 7, 2006: About CUPE's popular booklet "The Wall Must Fall" (download PDF booklet-1.3Megs)
June 6, 2006: CUPE Ontario delegates support campaign against Israeli “apartheid wall”
► July, 2006: Mexico ◄
July 10, 2006: Mexico: view movie: "Atenco: Breaking the Siege"
► May, 2006: Colombia ◄
The May 15 Mobilizations in Colombia
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