–Yet another article on why Hargrove and the rest of the CAW executive have made the wrong choice. I realize I am pushing this a little but I think that analysis is the only way that we are going to be able to move forward on this issue which affects all labour.

–Really? With all those great right-wing economic and social policies the most disenfranchised are losing out? What a shocker. Have a read of what is happening, why, and a little on what we need to do to change it. Times are getting tough for the working people of America and the only response is to organize and fight back against reactionary policy.

–There has been a major increase in oppression of gay and lesbian communities in Poland of late. If any of you stay tuned to Douglas Ireland’s blog then you would know all about it. Here is the latest story from there on Ireland’s site. I would encourage all to read through what is going on here. We need to stand up against this kind of oppression or it will only get worse.

-Another article from Sam Gindin about the CAW and its poor performance in fighting for the workers that belong to it. I guess that it has become open season on criticizing the CAW since the leadership’s position on the NDP and how Labour should act in the system. It is always good to read someone from the old ranks breakdown what is exactly happening the the CAW so that we can all make sense of this mess.

–An interesting interview with Robert Fitch about the role of unions and what has happened. It is an old take on a new idea… or something like that. It is definitely worth a read.

–Cutting jobs is not be the answer for NB Power’s difficulties. It is a Crown Corp. and as such should be maintaining its workforce to supply power to us. The workers’ need our support through their struggle to maintain the power supply and quality of service at a responsible social level.

–Duncan Cameron lays it out for us about the CAW and the NDP and how you might think about building a labour party. If you want a Labour party then Labour is going to have to be directly involved. If you want a party that is going to represent the interests of labour then Labour is going to have to be directly involved. If you want to move the struggle forward and fight the system then a Labour party is going to have to exist and Labour is going to have to be directly involved. It just doesn’t make any sense otherwise.

We must examine and, in my opinion, reject the New Politics Initiative discussed within the party. We must re-engage the NDP as socialists and Labour activists to make sure that the theoretical structure of the NDP is maintained to the left of “New Politics” or “third-way” concession giving and lobbying focused movements. We cannot fight for change if we do not stand on a platform of change. We cannot fight for workers’ and students’ rights if we do not stand on a platform and look the capitalists in the eye while we are screaming to be heard and we cannot take control of the table if we give-up our seat.

The workers and farmers that started the CCF and the NDP understood this. We leave the NDP open to right-wing opportunists and those that would like to see the end of Labour as a unified power unless we remember where this movement came from and take a move forward together for the principles of equality and social justice that we all fight for.

–This should be the front page story across the country. The Conservative government is trying to limit the access to our politicians. If the liberal media is upset about their access to the politicans then we should really start to worry and start thinking about action to help them get access. If the media lose their access then there is little hope for the people.

–Socialism and Venezuela. Have a read of this article outlining exactly what the process in Venezuela means for the rest of us and why we need to be actively supporting the struggle wherever we can.

–A look at the NGOs that are at work in Haiti. There is no question that many mean well… however, because they are usually tied to their funding agencies there is little they can do to really help. We must support home-grown initiatives in Haiti if we really care about helping the Haitian people.

–More about the worker and student actions in France. It is important to examine these struggles while being in solidarity with them since we are going to have to engage in our own eventually here in Canada.

–”Many Canadians”?!? I am not sure that I know anyone who works 9-5… and certainly no one in the young-people category that work those hours… unless you are counting the extra shift on the weekend.

–Still no action by the government and the employers on mine safety… it seems that profits are more important than the peoples’ lives that create that profit. The only remedy is for the workers to take control of the system itself and make sure they are working in the best conditions.

–It looks like there is going to be another great day for the French to express their discontent with the lack of democracy in the system. Stay tuned for the news on April 4.

–Bush’s approval rating is plummetting… anyone get a whiff of a new war [znet article] this morning?

–It is fun to see the “mainstream” media try to paint the collapse of the western sponsored “colour revolutions” of the old USSR states as something other than a rejection of policy by the people. Now they are saying that these “revolutions” have been continued to allow more democracy. The idea that the West has to go in to a country and undemocratically install a government to install democracy is a complete fabrication and, if it wasn’t so disgraceful, laughable. The people are seeing through the web of lies that is the liberal revolutions… unfortunately they are falling into the trap that occurs after these things and falling into the arms of the conservatives who paint themselves with populist brushes.

–Clean-up politics, eh? It is funny that the Liberals are crying foul (I guess they are upset that their ministers are not able to be the lobbyists) but their point is correct. There should be no room in a democracy for this type of abuse of access to power… of-course, we do not live in a democracy so it is unsurprising.

–The BC “Liberals” continue to push conservative policies that are not in the best interests of the people nor are they the policies they were ran on in the election.

–It is now evident that we have become a neo-con state. These kinds of blatant ahistorical ramblings by MacKay expose the inept qualities of our new government. We must oppose these prejudice acts. It is not up to the government of Canada to decide what democratically elected leaders of countries it deals with.

More here.

March 30, 2006

Press Conference
Thursday, March 30, 2006
10:00am
1500 de Maisonneuve west, #204
Contact: 514-848-7583

Montreal, March 30 – Amir Hodhod, 42, an Egyptian refugee who has been living in Montreal since 2003, is appealing to the Canadian government to grant him status and to overturn his deportation order, set for April 6th.

Read the rest of this entry »

–Worth a read. We must continue the fight for equality and justice and continue to fight for a time where these are more than just words but part of the fabric of society.

–Read all about the strike in the UK and in France yesterday. You would not have heard about it if you only watch the TV news. Pictures included.

See .here as well from marxist.com.

–These are the leaders of people, they are the leaders of movements, they are the leaders of democratic states where the people hold the reigns. This is what politics should be like. The people must hold them and the world to account.

–Chomsky asks the question in response to some new articles from the London Review of Books. Is there an Israel Lobby? Does the question even make any sense? Have a read.

–Well here is a load of @#$%. Jim Stanford talks about “why” the CAW and the NDP are better without one another. The argument is that the CAW must engage in right-wing politics to lobby its interests. This is a step backwards for unions if they are not going to unite around the left. There is absolutely no point in just engaging in lobbying of the Boss’ Party since they will always support the boss’ interests and not the interests of the working people. I think that Jim and Buzz would do well to listen to one of Tommy Douglas’ mice stories and realise that electing white or black cats just doesn’t make any sense. If they continue on this path then they will lead the people of this country back to the times when Liberals and Conservatives fight over who will have the power to oppress the people. We must stand together or we will surely fail to change society for the better. The promise of having sway over the government sounds nice but when you look at how you get sway it is big Capital that has the final word and there is no way for a union to compete at this level.

–Is there any reason to think that this type of movement does not represent the majority of the population? Is there any reason to think that this is not democracy in action? How can the government ignore these protests and still call itself democratic?

–Are ALBA trade agreements the solution for Latin America over Neo-Liberal agreements? Is it the solution for the people of all countries?

–This is a conservative budget with little spending on the people of NB and a lot of spending on the rich. The people of New Brunswick should not take this at face value. Does anyone know of a Alternative Provincial Budget for New Brunswick?

–HA! That’s a laugh. This is a call to the Christian Right, if anyone wants to know.

–We should not be in Afghanistan. Troops out now!

–Lenin’s Tomb gives us the rundown on some of the great worker actions going on today. Have a read and know that there is still organisation and agitation occurring in the world today. The struggle for change continues…

–There is popular protest around WalMart’s new banking services. People are not happy… nor should they be. Have a read.

–There really is no question that the working people of the US must support the Transit Workers in New York or they will be next on the chopping block.

–The welfare system is under attack and the people that need it the most are being denied the basic necessities that make the capitalist system survivable. This trend can only be reversed through solidarity and action. Without the basics there is no room for organising the rest of the struggle.

–This is interesting. Here are the trends in collective bargaining across the country. For those that are interested in union action and the struggle that is being waged at the worker level then this is one place to look.