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July 19, 2010 - No. 135
G20 Protests
Canada-Wide Demonstrations Demand
"Public Inquiry Now! No to Violation of Rights!"
G20 Protests
• Canada-Wide
Demonstrations Demand "Public
Inquiry Now! No to Violation of Rights!"
• Call
for Fundraising -
Toronto Community Mobilization Network
• Discussion on the Aim
of the Broad Mass Movement -
Letter to the Editor
20th Anniversary of "Oka Crisis"
• First
Nations and Allies Demand
Respect for Nation-to-Nation Relations
Canada-Colombia Free Trade
Agreement
• No to Neoliberal Trade and Impunity
July 22 Global Day of Action Against Open Pit Mining
• Statement of the ABYA-YALA Coordinating
Network
G20 Protests
Canada-Wide Demonstrations Demand
"Public Inquiry Now! No to Violation of Rights!"
TML is posting
below photos
and reports from across Canada of the July 17 Day of Action in defence
of civil liberties and to demand a public inquiry into police activity
against G20 protestors. In addition to the cities below, rallies were
also held in
St. John's, Kingston, Bancroft, Peterborough, St. Catharines, London,
Winnipeg, Calgary, Nelson and Vancouver.
Montreal and Quebec City
On July 17, hundreds of protesters demonstrated again in
Montreal and Quebec City to reiterate their demand for a public inquiry
into the violent police suppression during the G20 Summit held in
Toronto.
In Montreal, more than 300 protesters gathered at
Phillips Square then took to the streets of downtown to put forward
their demands, ending up at Montreal Police Services (SPVM)
headquarters
on Guy Street. A representative of the Collective Opposed to Police
Brutality (COPB) noted that
what happened in Toronto is totally unacceptable but is not an isolated
incident. "In Montreal, the SPVM, who were also in Toronto, have among
other things, engaged in mass arrests during the past two days at
protests against the police brutality and racial profiling practiced on
daily basis against society's most vulnerable
members." A young activist pointed out that, "Only a sick society gives
more importance to a
few smashed windows than millions of lives shattered by globalization."
 
Montreal, July 17, 2010:
"Dissent is our duty"; "Drop the charges."
In Quebec City, more than one hundred people met in
front
of the St. John the Baptist Church with a large banner reading "They
can never shut out our ideas which are breaking down walls." They took
to
the streets of Old Quebec to demand: an
independent public inquiry into police
actions and prison conditions at the G20, the immediate release of
anyone still detained, the destruction of any files and information
gathered on the demonstrators and the dropping of all charges against
them.
Ottawa
Between 200 and 300 people participated in the rally and
demonstration in Ottawa. The demonstrators gathered at the Human Rights
monument,
where many people, especially youth, spoke about their experience at
the demonstrations in Toronto. Speaker after speaker denounced the
actions of the police and called for accountability. The demonstrators
carried on with a lively march to Parliament Hill.
Toronto
In Toronto, more than 400 people, many of them youth who
had
participated in the days of action against the G8/20 summits,
participated in a rally organized by Canadians Advocating Political
Participation (CAPP) at Queen's Park.
CAPP representatives said the group is demanding a
federal inquiry into the police violence against the protesters. The
police violence was in clear violation of civil
rights -- namely freedom of assembly and expression, they
said. They
argued that these rights are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms and therefore the violation of peoples'
civil rights was unconstitutional. According to CAPP, an inquiry should
expose
the actions of the police and determine who gave the orders to commit
the violation of civil rights.
A spokesperson for the Toronto Community Mobilization
Network, one of the main organizers of the protests against the G8/20
summits, encouraged everyone who has evidence of the police brutality
against the demonstrators to come forward with their photos and videos
so they can be presented publicly. She also demanded that all the bogus
charges laid against protestors be dropped and that those still being
held without bail be released. Throughout the speeches the slogan
"Never again!" was shouted repeatedly.
The rally raised money to pay for the legal defence of
those who have been arrested. Between the speeches, local artists
performed songs calling for the defence of civil rights.
Besides listening to the speeches and music,
people discussed amongst themselves how to
defeat the suppression of political protest that has become a trademark
of the Canadian government.
Hamilton
A rally was
organized in downtown Hamilton with music, speakers and testimonials of
what took place. Alex Johnstone, one of the organizers welcomed
everyone and explained that people all across the
country were gathering on this day to demand an inquiry into the
actions of the police at the G20 summit. Other speakers also denounced
the police's actions, inlcuding Wayne
Marston, MP
for the Hamilton East-Stoney Creek and David
Christopherson, MPP for Hamilton Centre.
 Rolf Gerstenberger,
President of USW Local 1005 explained that Local 1005 took a bus load
of
steelworkers to Toronto to oppose the policies of the G20,
congratulating the youth who defended their right to conscience despite
the menacing actions of the riot police. He called on workers to stand
with the youth and hold police and all levels of government
accountable. He stressed that we
must
step up our organizing in the face of the increasing repression.
Marc Laferriere from Canada Without Poverty pointed to
the reprehensible spending of more than $1 billion on a summit when so
many Canadians live in poverty. He further denounced the recent
announcement of more than $11 billion in military spending on war ships
and fighter jets. These expenditures speak to the priorities of the
Canadian government which must be rejected, he said.
Lisa
Nussey from the Hamilton Coalition Against the G20
explained that the Coalition was formed to mobilize Hamiltonians on
this issue and facilitate everyone's involvement. As concerns the
demand for
an independent public inquiry, she noted that it is very good to
demand an inquiry and called for public discussion on the mandate and
terms of the
inquiry.
Jamilé Ghaddar, youth secretary of the
Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada and also an organizer with the
Coalition,
spoke to the issue of security by raising the question "security for
whom?" She noted that $1.2 billion and 25,000 police and security
personnel didn't make people in Toronto safe on the streets. Those
resources were used
so that the rich could scheme in secret behind a fence while police
committed
crimes against the people on the
streets, she said. She denounced the notion of security which is used
as a pretext to violate human rights and affirmed that genuine security
can only exist when everyone's rights are provided with a guarantee.
A teacher from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers
Federation also spoke, explaining that as a civics teacher, he and many
of his colleagues as well will have a difficult time returning to
school in the fall to talk about democracy in Canada. It will be
difficult, he explained, because it is not possible to talk about the
right to freedom of expression in Canada to his students who will have
either watched or participated in the demonstrations in Toronto.
USW
Local 1005's resident poet, Bill Mahoney delivered a poem about the
G20 to rousing applause. Music and testimonials ended the rally on a
spirited note with all in attendance eager to carry on the work.
Courtenay
At the rally held outside the
courthouse in Courtenay, BC, people carried signs condemning the Harper
government and asserting the right to speak out against the G20.
Participants heard speeches from representatives of the Council of
Canadians, the Comox Valley Peace Group and CPC(M-L). The speakers
explained what had taken place in Toronto, both in terms of the broad
attacks on the rights of Canadians to take a stand against the
anti-social policies of the G20 as well as the covert extension of
police powers and the role of the corporate media in distorting what
took place.
 A local postal worker's
daughter was arrested in Toronto while walking to the demonstration on
Sunday, June 27,
illegally searched and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, a
collapsible umbrella in her backpack. The postal worker related the
story of how his daughter was arrested, the conditions in which she was
held and that one of her
friends, arrested at the same time then released, has been re-arrested
and held because she knew one of the organizers of the buses from
Montreal. He said that his family had always taken the stand that one
has not only the right but the duty to take a stand against injustice
and that was why his daughter went to the demonstration. He condemned
the state violence and intimidation and particularly the targetting of
the youth from Quebec.
A spirited discussion took place about the right to
speak, the right
to conscience and the right to organize to fight for the society that
we want, not the society imposed by the likes of the G20. The call for
a public inquiry was unanimously supported and plans made to mobilize
other community organizations including the labour council and various
unions, in support.
Call for Fundraising
- Toronto Community Mobilization Network,
July 18, 2010 -
The Toronto Community Mobilization Network and Defence
Fund are calling on our friends, our comrades and strangers to hold
fundraising events in support of the legal defence of the 17 community
organizers facing the most serious charges stemming from G20 protests,
as well as the hundreds of people facing
lesser charges.
We need to support all of those arrested during the G20
summit and continue to mobilize and build greater solidarity among our
communities.
Legal fees for the 17 alone are expected to reach into
the hundreds of thousands of dollars. That's a lot of money we need to
raise, but every little bit helps. Any event to bring in money, whether
it's a small house party or a massive concert, makes a difference.
Ensuring that all of our comrades have access
to good legal defence in court costs money, which is why we need your
support in bringing it in.
Possible fundraising events include, but are not limited
to: film screenings; concerts; house parties; panel discussions;
raffles; garage sales; anything else you can think of -- be creative!
Once your event is planned, send the details to
events.g20solidarity@gmail.com and we can promote your event on our
website. Visit www.g20.torontomobilize.org
and check out our own
fundraising callouts and other resources you can use in your organizing.
Funds raised will be donated directly to the G20 Defence
Fund. From there, funds will be distributed to those with the most
need, prioritizing those still in custody on serious charges.
Personal donations are also appreciated.
To transfer funds, transfer to:
OPIRG York
transit number 00646
institution number 842
account number 3542240
Use your online bank account or contact your bank
directly to transfer funds. Please put "G20 legal defence" in the memo.
Write a cheque:
Toronto Community Mobilization Network
360A Bloor Street W
PO Box 68557
Toronto, ON
M5S 1X0
To donate by PayPal, go to g20.torontomobilize.org
Thank you for your help. Together we will create a just
world that places people and the environment before the profits of
corporations and the political elite.
In solidarity,
The Toronto Community Mobilization Network
Letter to the Editor
Discussion on the Aim of the Broad Mass Movement
On July 17, I participated in a demonstration in Ottawa
to condemn the fascist police violence in Toronto during the G8/20
protests and call for a public inquiry into their actions. With
hundreds of people looking on, speaker after speaker from various
organizations and all walks of life denounced the police brutality
and criminalization of dissent. There was a militant atmosphere as
people are outraged by the violation of their right to conscience and
civil liberties. The sense of urgency was palpable, and unity between
people very real as it becomes galvanized through struggle and action.
The general theme coming out of the
demonstration is that there should be an independent public inquiry
into the police brutality. I see nothing wrong with this call but there
should be discussion among the people about what this means and what
could be the possible results.
When looking at anything in life, the facts should
always be brought to light so we can then analyze and discuss the
reality in order to find a way forward. In this regard, the Canadian
people should be informed about what happened in the streets of
Toronto. This would go a long way in putting to
rest the ridiculous claims by the police, and then repeated by the
monopoly controlled media, that it is the "protesters," and in
particular, youth and anarchists with "black bloc" tactics who are to
blame for the violence. This propaganda has the aim to convince the
Canadian public that a police state is needed to maintain
peace, order, and good government. For the political activists, we know
the truth. We have experienced first hand political repression and it
will be etched in our mind forever. It is clear though that knowing the
criminal actions of the police state alone is not going to open the
path for progress. A public inquiry has
to play a role in moving people to eventually replace the authority of
the political representatives of the rich with a true democracy that
empowers the people. Without addressing the question of political
renewal the global monopolies and their politicians will be free to
commit further crimes against the people of
the world no matter what conclusions are reached by a public inquiry.
With
this being said what should be the criteria of the public inquiry? Who
would be in charge of the investigation? And how should we view the
public inquiry itself?
Besides revealing the truth, I think we are right in
demanding that the public inquiry should lead to accountability or it
has little significance. The police cannot act with impunity. Those
people who are responsible for the police brutality and abuse of power
should be charged and brought to justice.
The ruling class and their state must be put to task, and feel like
they are not so free in the future to spend the people's money to
launch attacks against them.
Where I believe a public inquiry would fall short is in
dealing with the issue of who decides, and how could this happen? We
are in the midst of an era where all major decisions affecting the
entire world are made by a small group of ruling elite behind closed
doors. When people oppose these self-serving
destructive policies they are attacked viciously. This is, at the end
of the day, what the G8/20 is all about. In this time of complete
arrogance and lawlessness as displayed by the leaders of the G8/20 we
should not be surprised if they reject a public inquiry as they have
done up until now. If there is enough pressure
from the Canadian people though we can force them to hold a public
inquiry. We should not let this be the aim in itself however, whereby
the momentum of the people is liquidated because we got what we were
after. There should be no illusions that the Canadian institutions as
they are can provide justice and stop
further violations of rights.
I was at the demonstration against the Organization of
American States in Windsor in June, 2000. The same criminal police
tactics were used then. There was even a call for a public inquiry
afterwards that never did happen. What we did do though is hold our own
public inquiry. We had public discussions,
meetings, and printed books about the event itself and the politics
surrounding the event. It became clear to many of us back then that the
issue was one of who decides. The times are crying out for us to answer
this question, mobilize for democratic renewal!
For a public inquiry, mobilize for democratic renewal!
A Young Worker in Ottawa
20th Anniversary of "Oka Crisis"
First Nations and their Allies Demand Respect for
Nation-to-Nation Relations
On July 11, nearly 200 people responded to Solidarity
with Native People's call to participate in the various activities to
mark the 20th anniversary of the "Oka crisis." Activities held in Oka
and Kanesatake reaffirmed the determination of the Mohawk Nation to
have immediate full recognition of their ancestral
rights.
The first activity was a march through the town of Oka
to the historic Pine Forest, a symbol of Mohawk resistance. Leading the
march, the Mohawk carried a
banner that read: "Our Land! Our Culture! Our Future!" The youth
followed
with their placards: "Oka is
Mohawk Territory!"; "20 Years Later and Nothing has Changed!";
"Fee-simple = Genocide!"; "No Mines on Mohawk Lands!"
The residents of Oka and Kanesatake and their many
allies proudly participated in the march and cheered along the route.
At the centre of the town some of the activists spoke. What emerged was
the shamelessness of the federal and Quebec government who refuse to
recognize
the UN Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples. The demonstrators reiterated their determination
to obtain justice on this issue for the full recognition of First
Nations' rights. A young native who was at the barricades in 1990 said
to much
applause,
"We are proud of what we did and it was not futile. We are always ready
to fight to defend our land." Everyone brought out that the issue is
that
First Nations' rights must be respected now and not 20 years from
now.
The arrival at Pine Forest, site of the heroic stand of
the Mohawk and their supporters against the Canadian police and
military, was hailed with shouts
and chants. Before the delicious dinner provided by the community was
served there was much discussion among the people as a manifestation of
the profound desire to learn more from the First
Nations. The recent issue of TML
Daily
on the "Oka Crisis" of 1990 containing the declaration of the Clan
Mothers and the Council of Chiefs published in 1992 was highly
appreciated by those present.
The participants were invited to listen to a moving
speech by Grand Chief Sohenrise Paul Nicholas. He said, "The events of
the summer of 1990 were traumatic for the people of Quebec. Recent news
reports and commentaries confirm this. On the other hand, very few
people are aware of the scale
of the trauma endured by the Mohawk nation. For Quebeckers and their
media, the summer of 1990 was an historic event: it was the 'Oka
crisis' or the 'Indian summer.' For us Mohawks, it was something we
have to live with every day. In fact, the issues that sparked the 1990
crisis are alive and well and still pose
an enduring obstacle to our development."
He added, "We do not want a second Oka crisis; we want
this matter resolved as it should be, that is to say, by negotiating a
formal agreement. I trust that government officials have learned from
the 1990 crisis and that, 20 years later, we can settle our differences
once and for all so that such events no
longer occur.
"Proud of our roots and confident about the future, we
issue today a clear message to our Quebec neighbours: we wish to
develop our nation and become partners in Quebec's development through
respectful nation-to-nation relations founded on the 'Peace and
Friendship' treaties concluded in the past
between our respective ancestors."
The final activity was a book launch for the French
translation of At the Woods' Edge, an anthology of the
history of the Kanesatake Mohawk, translated by Francine Lemay, sister
of Corporal
Marcel Lemay, killed during the crisis, and This is an Honour
Song: Twenty Years Since the Blockade
published by the Anishinabe Cree of Manitoba. The launch provided
further opportunity for exchange in which many non-Natives who came to
show their support learned more about the First Nations' struggle.
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
No to Neoliberal Trade and Impunity
On June 30, Bill C-2, An
Act
to
implement
the Free
Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, the
Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Republic of
Colombia and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the
Republic of Colombia,
was
passed by the Senate and received royal assent on June 30. Since the
plans for such an agreement came to light a few years ago, there has
been broad rejection amongst Canadians about Canada's support
for a government that is widely known for its involvement in human
rights violations including support
for paramilitary organizations, as part of the suppression of
progressive forces there. Requests from the Council of Canadians and
Canadian Council for International Cooperation that the  Senate hear
from witnesses crossed off the House of Commons Trade Committee hearing
schedule, were declined by the Senate. Nonetheless, the Senate agreed
to hear from
Liberal Scott Brison, even though he was not scheduled to appear. Bill
C-2 was then passed after less than an hour's debate in the Senate
Foreign Affairs Committee. The bill, rejected twice before, had been
most
recently tabled with the assistance of
the Liberals, especially Brison, who proposed an amendment to the bill
calling on the two countries to
produce annual human rights reports. In this way the Liberals came to
the rescue of the Harper government by mobilizing the necessary support
for the bill while ensuring that the people's concerns, especially the
dire situation
facing the Colombian people, would not be addressed but covered up with
a thin veneer of humanitarian concern.
 TML
denounces the passage of Bill C-2 to
authorize the CCFTA on the false basis that such trade agreements will
foster respect for human rights. Such trade agreements are meant to
strengthen monopoly right over public right which only leads to more
impunity and violence against the people. It is also well known how
successive
Colombian governments have used the pretext of drug interdiction to
permit the U.S. to militarize the country under Plan Colombia and now
the seven military bases being handed
over to the U.S. Such a trade agreement will strengthen the
reactionary pro-U.S. regimes which are a threat not only to Colombians
but to the sovereignty of all of Latin America. Canadians have long
expressed the need to have international relations based on mutual
benefit and
reject so-called free trade agreements which are based on the
exploitation
of workers in all countries concerned by the monopolies and the ruling
elite.
No Free Trade Deal -- Sever Trade
Relations with Colombia!
July 22 Global Day of Action Against Open
Pit Mining
Statement of the ABYA-YALA Anti-Mining
Coordinating Network
- July 16, 2010 -
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Montreal
Demonstration
Thursday, July 22 -- 11:30 am
Phillips Square (metro McGill/Victoria-Square)
Organized by:
Frente Amplio Opositor-Montreal,
Committee for Human
Rights in Latin America
Demonstrate in front of those institutions which support the Canadian
mining industry and its violations of human rights, indigenous rights
and the rights of Mother Earth. The march will visit the consulates of
Peru, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, Venezuela,
Argentina and Guatemala and finish in front of the Montreal offices
of the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Public
Talk and Film Screening
7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Bar Populaire, 6584 St-Laurent
Public talk features Clifton Arihwakehte from Kanesatake, speaking
about Mohawk resistance to Niocan Inc.'s mining project. The event also
features screening of excerpts from the documentary “Transmitiendo la
resistencia“ (in Spanish, with English subtitles),
followed by a discussion with its producer. The documentary recounts
the ongoing struggle of the community of Andalgalá,
Argentina against an open pit mine constructed by Canadian mining
company Yamana Gold.
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The ABYA-YALA anti-mining coordinating network is
calling the people, groups and movements to support the international
day of action against open pit mining on July 22, 2010. Cities around
the continent will be conducting actions including rallies,
demonstrations, letter writing campaigns etc. in front of
mining corporate offices and Canadian embassies to protest the most
brutal form of mineral exploitation.
Open pit mining causes irreversible impacts on the
environment including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, soil
erosion, formation of sinkholes and long term contamination of soil,
air, groundwater and surface water by chemicals from mining processes.
Contamination resulting from leakage of chemicals also
has deadly negative effects on the health of the local populations.
ABYA-YALA ["Continent of Life" in the language of the
Kuna peoples of Panama and Colombia], our continent, is rich in mineral
and fossil fuels. For over five hundred years colonial powers and their
subsequent nation states have heavily relied on industrial scale
extraction of these non-renewable resources
to satisfy the race for industrial and technological development.
Today, resource extraction is carried out by multinational corporations
operating under an international economic system that allows them
access to regions of our continent traditionally inhabited by
indigenous peoples and small scale farmers who for
centuries have sustained harmonious co-existence with their natural
environment. These communities are often displaced, their lands
appropriated, their human rights violated, their environment
contaminated, and their ability to protest is brutally repressed.
National governments often support the interests of
foreign investors over the rights of their own citizens while security
forces violate human rights and use violent force against people acting
to protect their lands, their livelihood and the environment from
exploitation by foreign companies. Rich countries are
often complicit in ignoring human rights violations while promoting and
subsidizing the operations of resource extraction corporations.
Canadian society and the Canadian government are
directly responsible for the inhuman consequences of resource
extraction around the planet as Canada is home to more than 60 percent
of legally registered mining corporations in the world. These
corporations account for over 3200 exploitation projects in over
100 countries. Canada is the largest investor in the resource
extraction industry in ABYA-YALA accounting for 37% of the total
investment.
The global day of action against open pit mining is a
day to remind multinational mining corporations and their complicit
governments that civil society will no longer tolerate the destruction
of our planet. We will work in solidarity with affected communities; we
will resist, organize and fight back against impunity.
Read The Marxist-Leninist
Daily
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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