“There’s something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear…” This week, I attended a talk put on by the International Socialists, featuring an organizer with OUR Walmart, by Skype from Texas, and a Toronto-based union activist. Both speakers were terrific and so inspiring, but although I took copious notes,
Continue readingTag: democracy movements
wmtc: greenwald, ellsberg, and others launch freedom of press foundation to fight government censorship and secrecy
An important and exciting column by Glenn Greenwald. See original for more links. New press freedom group is launched to block US government attacks Nothing is more vital than enabling true transparency and adversarial journalism, and preventing further assaults on them Several weeks ago, I wrote about the steps taken
Continue readingwmtc: fighting for democracy in the courts and in the street: #idlenomore, democracy 24/7
I no longer see TV news, but I have it on good authority that if your primary news source is CBC’s The National, you haven’t been hearing about two important developing – and exciting – stories. Idle No More is a campaign led by First Nations peoples to fight back
Continue readingwmtc: saturday across canada: end the siege of gaza
This Saturday, across Canada and around the world, people will gather to condemn Israel’s massacre of Gaza. The call:Stop Israel’s war on Gaza!Stop the killing. End the blockade. Free Palestine. Support BDS.In Toronto:Rally & MarchSaturday, Novembe…
Continue readingwmtc: rtod: i ain’t marching (to the u.s. polls) anymore
I spent the summer and fall of 2004 working on a Get Out The Vote campaign for the Democrats, not because they were my party of choice, but because I was angry at the prospect of another stolen election, and I wanted to make a difference in the popular vote
Continue readingwmtc: why is "entitled" a dirty word? some thoughts on what we are all entitled to.
When did “entitled” become a dirty word? Why do we hear “entitled” being used as catch-all slur, a derogatory description to be thrown at progressive people working for change? And why should we permit this word to retain such a heavily negative connotation? Here are some people I have seen
Continue readingwmtc: coming soon to a canadian town near you: the fbi
I seldom play the scary “US is taking over Canada” card, but if the Harper government was any deeper into Washington, you’d need a colonoscopy to find them. I blogged about this here, and I’m glad to see the CBC recognize the issue. This is scary, dangerous, and truly disgusting. When
Continue readingwmtc: how are you celebrating national stop harper day?
Today is National Stop Harper Day. People all over the country are using this day, officially known as Canada Day, to gather and organize and express their anger – and their fear – at the anti-democratic and inhumane policies of the Harper Government. In keeping with the spirit of Occupy
Continue readingwmtc: relax, canadians. voter suppression is "as old as the hills". says a cpc lawyer.
In a recent post, I summarized the Conservatives’ arguments in Federal Court, as they attempted to have the case against their illegal election practices dismissed before any evidence had been heard. I was just paraphrasing, of course. But now I have a real quote, thanks to an email sent today
Continue readingwmtc: conservative party vs council of canadians, round two
In Federal Court:* Council of Canadians: There was vote supression in the 2011 election. Conservative Party of Canada: Maude Barlow hates us. Council of Canadians: There was vote supression in the 2011 election. Conservative Party of Canada: Maude Barlow is a radical. Council of Canadians: There was vote supression in
Continue readingwmtc: coyne: the conflict is between conservatives and their souls
Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page’s quest to force the Harper GovernmentTM to release details of its budget cuts escalated over the weekend, when Page said that the government’s secrecy could lay the groundwork for a future economic crisis. Page, of course, has laid the groundwork for a court battle that
Continue readingwmtc: why is someone from the house of commons and office of privy council reading my blog for hours?
Progressive bloggers, check your stats. The Statcounter for wmtc shows “multiple visits spread out over several days” from an IP address in the House of Commons, and a separate visit from the Office of the Privy Council. This visitor or visitors spent time at several of my “greatest hits” posts,
Continue readingwmtc: marxism 2012 program notes: the quebec student strike, or, why every canadian needs to bang on a pan
I want to begin my posts from Marxism 2012 with the Quebec Student Strike, because it’s currently the most important progressive development unfolding in Canada. By now it should be obvious that the Quebec student strike is not only a student strike and is not only about Quebec. It should be
Continue readingwmtc: blackout speakout a success: government truthspeak squad dispatched to spread lies
I can’t find exact numbers on how many websites and blogs went dark in yesterday’s BlackoutSpeakout campaign, but conservative mainstream media is saying that more than 500 websites and 18,000 people participated. Another marker of success is the government’s reaction: 10 Members of Parliament were dispatched to media events to,
Continue readingwmtc: german police recognize that they are part of the 99%, take off helmets, escort protesters
This is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in a very long time. The German police took off their helmets and marched with the protest clearing the way for them. . . . . German police officers escort an anti-capitalism protest march with some 20,000 people in Frankfurt,
Continue readingwmtc: fbi to operate within canada, cbsa using us-style tactics: the deep integration we should fear and protest
The CBSA harassing political journalists trying to enter Canada: bad. The FBI free to operate within Canadian borders: worse. Years ago when people stoked fears of co-called “deep integration” between Canada and the United States, conversations tended to focus on tangible signs like a North American currency. I admit I
Continue readingwmtc: casseroles: they’re not just for montreal anymore
Last night in Toronto: And everywhere: And onward:
Continue readingwmtc: manif casserole toronto: bang on a pot at dufferin grove park
Why should Quebecers have all the fun? If you’re in the Toronto area, you can join a Manif Casserole tomorrow, May 30. People are gathering at Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin Street, around 8:00. Bring something to bang on and something to bang with (i.e. a pot and a wooden
Continue readingwmtc: montreal, nous t’aimons! show us how it’s done!
On the 100th day of student protests, 250,000 people take to the streets! Supporters bang on pots and pans from their windows! Solidarity rallies in New York and Paris! Montreal, we are with you!
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