Elizabeth May, House of Commons, May 11, 2012: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-38. I am very sad, because this bill is the worst of all bills of this House, for two reasons. First, because the government has chosen to introduce fundamental changes to many laws
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wmtc: end of commercial seal hunt is inevitable: tell the senate to make it happen
I didn’t blog about this year’s seal slaughter, although I followed news of it through HSI Canada. It isn’t going well for sealers, as the market for their antiquated product has all but disappeared. Despite millions of dollars in government financing provided to the sealing industry this year, most sealers
Continue readingwmtc: last shred of oversight removed from csis
Andrew Mitrovica, author of Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes Inside Canada’s Secret Service: Late last week, in its familiar stealth-like fashion, Stephen Harper’s Conservative government shuttered the office of the Inspector General (IG) over Canada’s spy service, CSIS. The IG acted as the public safety minister’s eyes and ears,
Continue readingwmtc: on june 4: black out to speak out
On Monday, June 4, websites representing thousands of Canadian people and organizations will go dark to protest changes introduced in the Harper Government’sTM budget act (Bill C-38). To join this online protest, go to Black Out Speak Out – or Silence, on parle! – and sign up. You’ll receive tools
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: racism, economic recovery (not), canada’s vietnam
This is the last installment of my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. This post is less complete than the preceding Marxism 2011 posts. They are Allan’s notes from the sessions I chaired, and two sessions he attended without me. Apparently Allan is not
Continue readingwmtc: july 1 2012: national stop harper day
From National Stop Harper Day: Traditionally, July 1st is a day known as “Canada Day” by Canadians across the country. This year however, that all changes, In most cities across Canada July 1st 2012 will now be known as National Stop Harper Day. One only needs to mention Steven Harper
Continue readingwmtc: maurice sendak, 1928-2012
Maurice Sendak. He will be missed, and he will always be with us.
Continue readingwmtc: may 15 is the internaional day for conscientious objection: your help is needed
You haven’t heard from the War Resisters Support Campaign for a while, partly because I was unable to attend meetings during the last school term (necessary, but very frustrating for me), and partly because the Campaign has been regrouping. But the US Iraq War resisters are still here – still
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: keynes vs. marx: can capitalism be reformed?
These are my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. * * * * I was especially interested in this talk, as for much of my life I would have considered myself a reformist in the Keynes mode. I slowly learned that reform can never
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: workers rising: from wisconsin to ontario
These are my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. * * * * Workers rising: From Wisconsin to OntarioPanel Discussion, May 28, 2011 Allen Ruff Allen spoke again about the worker uprising in Wisconsin (see here), with more analysis. He noted the absence of
Continue readingwmtc: ssod
Search string of the day: why should the planet earth be conserved ? Because it’s the only planet we’ve got! If we use it up, we don’t have a replacement in the cupboard. Have you got a better idea?
Continue readingwmtc: i saw so much stupid, i got scared and ran away
I interrupt my Marxism 2011 notes to share with you a frightening vision. No, it wasn’t a vision. It was glimpse of horrifying reality. Last night I did a Twitter search for “Marxism”. But in addition to looking for #Marxism, I also searched on the word, without the hashtag. Big
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: prospects for the left under a harper majority
These are my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. * * * * This was just weeks after the 2011 election, and is very interesting to think about at the one-year mark of Harper’s majority. Given what we know now – Jack Layton’s death,
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: what would a socialist society look like?
These are my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. * * * * These notes are sketchier and rougher than the previous posts, as the talk was very informal. What Would a Socialist Society Look Like?Kim KerridgeMay 28, 2011 This question is both broad
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: the fight for queer liberation today
These are my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. * * * * The Fight for Queer Liberation TodayTim McCaskell and Michelle Robidoux (Michelle not present)May 29, 2011 In this context, “today” means the political juncture we’re living in. The use of the word
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: workers fight back: lessons from wisconsin
These are my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. * * * * How can we stop the right?Christine Beckermann, member of ISMay 29, 2011 With the emergence of the Tea Party in the US, Rob Ford’s election in Toronto, and now the Harper
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: how can we stop the right?
These are my notes from the 2011 Marxism conference in Toronto. The series starts here. * * * * How can we stop the right?Christine Beckermann, member of ISMay 29, 2011 With the emergence of the Tea Party in the US, Rob Ford’s election in Toronto, and now the Harper
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2011 program notes: workers fight back: lessons from wisconsin
I’ve decided to post my notes from last year’s Marxism conference after all. It’s always bothered me that I never found the time to post them, so why not. It’s not as if stopping the right-wing agenda, supporting a free Palestine, or the reality in Afghanistan is no longer an
Continue readingwmtc: do not buy a cuisinart electric percolator. i will not make that mistake again.
I am fuming. Friggin’ fuming. Remember my coffee maker, the Cuisinart electric percolator? I was impressed that Cuisinart, a division of Conair, honoured their three-year warranty. Short version: the replacement percolator that they sent me has broken after only eight months of use. The company has told me that this
Continue readingwmtc: conrad black vs war resisters: the most whopping double-standard of them all
The Government of Canada welcomes an ex-convict who renounced Canadian citizenship, a man who defrauded seniors of their pensions and life savings. Indeed, the path for his return was cleared while he was still in prison! But people who refused to kill innocent civilians, who courageously defied the US military
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