“The theme for IAW 2009 in Toronto is “Standing United with the People of Gaza”, events will take place at the University of Toronto, Ryerson University and York University. IAW 2009 will continue to build and strengthen the growing Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement at a global level.”

Anti foreigner based nationalism is poison for the labour movement.

Also see: Nationalism: Who really benefits when ‘we’re all in it together’? | Socialist Worker

“And even after the drawdown, a sizable U.S. force of 35,000 to 50,000 U.S. troops will stay in Iraq under a new mission of training, civilian protection and counterterrorism.”

Therefore, Iraq will continue to be occupied.

Hamas is not radicalising these people; it is their colonial-oppression which is leading them to militancy.

“The UK has always denied allegations of collusion in extraordinary rendition – the term used for sending terror suspects for interrogation in countries where torture is not illegal – despite frequent claims to the contrary.”

Also see: Britain aided Iraq terror renditions, government admits | Guardian

“The admission is hugely embarrassing to the government, coming in the wake of the continuing dispute over the suppression of evidence of UK collusion in the alleged torture of former British residents, including Binyam Mohamed, who was released by the US last week after more than four years in Guantánamo Bay.”

Pablo Ruiz: US tax dollars are used to train Latin American soldiers how to oppress their own people.

“Manitoba should adopt a new flag, because the current one – as well as that of Ontario – is an archaic symbol of British rule, say some grassroots members of Manitoba’s governing New Democrats.”
So is having an hereditary monarch as our head of state, instead of an elected official who represents the sovereignty of the people. There is a lot we need to change, apart from just symbolism.

“America’s 20th century economic success was based on two things. Free trade was not one of them. America’s economic success was based on protectionism, which was ensured by the union victory in the Civil War, and on British indebtedness, which destroyed the British pound as world reserve currency. Following World War II, the US dollar took the role as reserve currency, a privilege that allows the US to pay its international bills in its own currency. … This furlough from reality ended when Soviet, Chinese, and Indian socialism surrendered around 1990, to be followed shortly thereafter by the rise of the high speed Internet. Suddenly, American and other first world corporations discovered that a massive supply of foreign labor was available at practically free wages.”

From the pages of Lenin’s Tomb:

“Binyam Mohamed was kidnapped, tortured, mutilated and locked up in Kabul, Bagram, and Guantanamo Bay for almost seven years because he read a satirical article on the internet.”

As Day’s pen slid across paper in Peru, a massive mobilization of popular movements had taken over the central plaza in Colombia’s capital. The protests in Bogotá – known as a Minga, and spearheaded by Indigenous peoples – were the culmination of over six weeks of demonstrations across the country.

It is a first-of-its kind North American agreement, where a state institution has partnered with a civil society organization to extend services and assistance to its citizens working outside of Mexico. It is a unique pact developed after work and consultation between Mexico executive and parliamentary authorities, as well as state authorities — and UFCW Canada which, for more than a decade, has led the campaign for the rights of migrant workers.

This looks similar to the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act that has been introduced as a part of Canadian Budget 2009.

Therefore, the destabilisation of Pakistan will continue.

“The UK government has said it will accelerate the use of open source software in public services.”

“Al Shabaab gained support as one of many insurgent groups waging war against Ethiopian troops propping up the country’s previous government. An Ethiopian withdrawal in January placated some Somalis, but al Shabaab has now turned its fire on the AU force, AMISOM, and the new government.”

Funny story: the “new government” is being led by the very person the US and Ethiopia declared an al-Qaida affiliated terrorist, and as a result invaded Somalia to dislodge. Two years and 16,000 dead-people later it turns out he was not a terrorist, but the leader of a unifying force in Somalia instead. It may now be too late for his 3.5 week old administration to accomplish anything as the insurgency that grew out of the resistance to the US backed Ethiopian invasion is completely infiltrated with actual terrorists and have focused their sights on the country’s capital.

The situation there appears to be degenerating, and the NATO states who have troops there are even further away from any kind of “victory”, however vaguely that might be defined. Our troops are not winning hearts and minds, there is little evidence of development, and the people have no faith in the corrupt government. Troops out now!

Seems as though the democratically elected prime minister of Pakistan is as committed to democracy as the dictator he replaced.

“A retired judge who funds scholarships at two Canadian universities is asking that those scholarships not be awarded to any students “of Islamic background,” calling his decision a form of “retaliation” against the Taliban.”

The University of Windsor and York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School need to remove judge Paul Staniszewski’s name from their list of benefactors.

After years of being forced to breathe in toxic fumes the workers at EasyPark are finally breathing a sigh of relief. Just this week it was announced that the city will be temporarily closing the parkade in order to do an investigation into the health effects. However this has come only after a very long and gruelling struggle for the employees to make their work environment tolerable. The following is an interview with Jim Mulally, a Fightback supporter and one of the leaders who led the fight for better working conditions.

A team of progressive candidates are running in the UNBSU elections. Check out www.unitedforchange.ca

President: Matt Abbott
VP Finance: Alex Corey
VP Student Services: Shane Martinez
VP Academic: Mallory Driscoll
Arts Reps: Tom Cheney, Kelly Flinn, Jordan House
Law Rep: Dave Steele

We are a team of candidates who will fight for tuition fee roll backs and create a co-op bookstore on campus so that students have a place to buy at cost text books.

Thanks, Alex.

–Students continue to lead active areas of struggle against a system the deprives people of the basics of life.

Also see: Who is Binyam Mohamed? | Counter Punch