Event listings for Ottawa, Calgary, London Ontario, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver:

- For global events listings please see the Gaza Freedom March website.

“f we needed any evidence of the degree to which Western TV journalists are simply stenographers to power, the BBC, CNN and others are amply proving it. Mark Regev, Israel’s propagandist-in-chief, has the airwaves largely to himself.”

“Thousands of people are protesting outside the Israeli embassy on Kensington High Street in London against the murder of peace activists on the humanitarian Freedom Flotilla. People are chanting, “Free Palestine” and “Shut down the embassy.””

“Despite the white flag being raised, the Israeli army is still shooting, is still firing live munitions.”

“Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Israel’s actions had been “rightly condemned around the world”…. Ms Sturgeon called on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza, and expressed her “deep sadness” at the loss of life on the flotilla. “

“Israeli commandos have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships off the coast of the Gaza Strip, killing up to 19 people on board.”

- It was boarded, and peace activists murdered in international waters.

“I am writing to you on behalf of the 54,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. You will be aware that the Israeli navy, in an act of piracy in international waters, has hijacked the international flotilla of ships which was attempting to deliver essential humanitarian aid to Gaza. The aid includes construction materials which would enable the people of Gaza to rebuild the homes destroyed by Israel in Operation Cast Lead in 2009.”

- A brilliant solidarity letter from a spectacular union.

“People are dying downstream from the tar sands, which are located in the traditional lands of many of Canada’s indigenous First Nations. The toxic sludge ponds, which result from tar sands production, are leaking carcinogenic pollution into the Athabasca River. The indigenous people downstream have found deformed fish, and in one community, more than 100 of their 1,200 residents have died of cancer and autoimmune diseases since 2000.”

“In previous spills, oil rose to the surface and was dealt with there, but due to the use of dispersants, as well as the weight of this particular crude oil and the pressure created by the depth of the leak, much of the oil has stayed submerged in clouds of tiny particles. At least 800,000 gallons of dispersants were sprayed at escaping oil in a frantic attempt to keep it offshore, but it now seems this preventative measure has created a worse disaster. The chemicals helped to keep the oil submerged and are toxic to marine life, resulting in unprecedented underwater damage to organisms in the Gulf.”

““It is my theory that Momo (Miriam Fischer) was deliberately kept out, they flagged her before arrival and then created a flimsy excuse stretching the letter of the law to block her entry. Canada is a nation where war criminals and users of chemical weapons on civilians, like Netanyahu are welcome. Those advocating peace and justice like George Galloway or Momo Fischer are not allowed into Canada,” said Dave Bleakney, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, National Union Representative for Education.”

“In fact, more oil is spilled from the delta’s network of terminals, pipes, pumping stations and oil platforms every year than has been lost in the Gulf of Mexico, the site of a major ecological catastrophe caused by oil that has poured from a leak triggered by the explosion that wrecked BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig last month.”

“The Good Jobs for All Coalition is calling on Toronto Hydro to become a leader in the effort to build a green and equitable Toronto for all.

The Green Jobs for All at Hydro campaign believes equity must be central to the new green economy we are working so hard to build. Thousands of permanent and decently paid good green jobs will be created if we succeed in manufacturing and installing more solar panels in the GTA. We believe these new good green jobs must be equitably accessible to all people, especially youth, people of colour, and newcomers.”

Three boats will form part of a flotilla hoping to break the siege of Gaza to leave Turkey

“A Unite Against Fascism demonstration halted plans by the racist English Defence League (EDL) to take over the centre of Newcastle today…. The EDL had boasted that thousands of its supporters would march through the city. The Northern Echo reported that the EDL actually mustered about 600…. Their march was outnumbered by more than 1,000 anti-racists on UAF’s counter demonstration. This brought together trade unionists and students from across the north east.”

“We’re often told that we shouldn’t protest at the EDL’s bigoted marches and if we ignore them they’ll go away. But that only gives them the confidence to go on violent rampages. Demonstrations of unity and defiance like we saw today are the real way to stop them.”

“This morning I walked up to the [Fredericton] clinic where I work to see that someone had spray-painted, on the crisis pregnancy centre next door, the word “CHOICE” and a big red heart.”
– Read the editorial, see the picture of “CHOICE <3″

“In early 2006, immediately following the election of Hamas, Canada was the first country in the world to boycott the new government, ahead even of Israel. … In early 2009, Canada deployed a fleet of leased Israeli drones in the service of its counterinsurgency war in Kandahar, Afghanistan, a contract that was extended earlier this month. … As the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement gains momentum, Canada stands in stark contrast to the international trend.”

–There is chatter that the Maoists may agree to an extension of the assembly. See here on the associated press through google.

“More people around the world are questioning the logic of a system that puts corporate profits ahead of everything else — including the very survival of the planet.

Achieving meaningful reforms under capitalism is increasingly difficult. And sometimes the sheer magnitude of the problems facing the world can make us feel small, isolated and beyond the capacity to make a difference.

But nothing could be further from the truth, and that’s why this year’s annual Marxism conference in Toronto — with the theme “A planet to save, a world to win” — is so important. Organized by the International Socialists, we hope the conference can be a place where we link struggles and share ideas. With over 40 talks in three days this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Marxism 2010 covers a wide range of issues.”

-Marxism 2010. May 28, 29, 30.

The leaders of the world’s 20 richest nations are visiting Toronto in June, and they want your money. They want your job, your home, your education, your health care, your public transport, your social services, your pension, and your paycheque. They want to take anything that makes life even halfway bearable. They want all of these things to pay for the mess that they, and their capitalist buddies, created. But, we are not just going to sit and let them.

The Canadian Federation of Students have released a new copyright video. Have a look and pass it around.
It has made it to BoingBoing: Canadian students speak out against the Canadian DMCA – Boing Boing

Gaza has been under an Israeli- and Egyptian-imposed blockade since Hamas, the Islamic militant group that does not recognize Israel’s right to exist [sic], took over the territory by force in 2007.

See also:
Hamas ‘implicitly accepts Israel’ | BBC
Hamas: We’ll recognize Israel within ’67 borders | YNet
and Hamas leader accepts Israel’s right to exist after Carter visit | Times Online