July 2019 Socialist.Ca System Change Not Climate Change
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Mass protests Challenging the return in Sudan CAQ’s racist Bill 21 Page 3 Pages 4-5 $2 | No 618 | July 2019 socialist.ca System change not climate change hen former California governor general growth of awareness around oppression more taxes and that the government should be world – the Green New Deal is becoming a focal and 2020 presidential candidate and colonialism amongst young people creates more responsible for redistributing wealth. In point for this new radicalism. John Hickenlooper addressed the a beautifully volatile mixture. general, they prioritize spending over balancing The GND is designed to boost employment Wconvention of California Demo- Latest data show that 48% of Canadians are the budget in order to alleviate systemic issues and push towards a zero emission future. It will crats, he was in for a rude awakening. As one just $200 away from insolvency and 26% are like income inequality, and are skeptical of free take massive pressure to be implemented, but it of the many centrist democrats, he is worried broke at the end of each month. market fundamentalism. is a starting point for the drive towards a bright- about the shift to the left happening at the base The ideological bonds that have tied gener- When asked to choose, 54 per cent suggest er future. The ruling classes of the world will of the party. ations to the idea that capitalism is the best on that Canada would benefit from a more socialist oppose it. But if millions can be brought into When he told the assembled delegates that offer are increasingly weak amongst large layers system. the streets to fight for the plan, it can boost the socialism was not the answer, he was loudly of young people. This reflects similar polling in the US. The confidence of workers to fight for real change. booed. In 2015, according to the Canadian Millenni- decades long shadow that the crimes of the We need to fight for a strong class analysis A radicalization has been taking place over als Report conducted by Abacus Data, “Among USSR and Stalinism cast over the idea of so- in the GND. The dead end of saving the planet the past 15 years, and it is especially pronounced those aged 18 to 29, support for capitalism has cialism is a thing of the past. with different consumer choices or the “market amongst youth, students and young workers. plunged 12 percentage points in just two years. This pro-socialist sentiment isn’t going to go solutions” which are on offer by the 1% will not The multiple crises faced by “millennials” and Among that age group, 51% say they have pos- away, it is deepening as the crisis continues. work. the generation coming up behind them are fu- itive feelings about socialism, compared to just But the sentiment needs to be organized. It Students are planning a World Climate Strike eling this. Housing costs, lack of permanent 45% for capitalism.” can move off in many different directions unless for September 27. We can unite the energy of employment, student debt, a massive climate The same report found young people are more there is a strategy to push for radical ideas in young activists with the social power of workers crisis, mixed with the growing disgust at racism, comfortable with interventionist government a way that can gain traction and build a mass by pushing for support for the climate strike in attacks on LGBTQ rights, abortion rights and a action, believing that corporations should pay movement. In Canada – and in other parts of the every workplace and school. GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE SEPT 27 Rain Liberal hypocrisy on Forest climate emergency Café by John Bell Tories, Canada has only fallen further Union of BC Indian Chiefs exposed “consulting” with Indigenous groups. behind reaching the targets set in that lie. But the United Nations Declaration ust days after declaring a “cli- the Paris Accord. The year 2016- “Our lands are burning and on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples workers mate emergency”, PM Justin 17 alone saw a 12 million tonne flooding. Our fish are dying and (UNDRIP) to which Canada is a Trudeau announced his govern- signatory requires full consent from Jment was approving construc- Indigenous people before such win first tion of the Trans-Mountain pipeline. projects can proceed. Clearly no such The move raises the bar for govern- consent exists. ment hypocrisy to new heights. Greta Thunberg, the teen who is contract The pipe will carry Alberta’s inspiring an international wave of diluted bitumen from the tar sands to environmental activism, responded ports on the Pacific. The move will to Trudeau’s hypocrisy: “One second invigorate tar sands development that they declare a #ClimateEmergency has been declining because the price and the next second they say yes to of bitumen oil is too high. The tar expand a pipeline. This is shameful. sands are widely described as one of But of course this is not only in the most environmentally destructive Canada, we can unfortunately see the megaprojects on earth. same pattern everywhere…” Although Trudeau was hedging Activists here have a responsibility his bets, the pipeline approval has to expose and oppose Trudeau’s been a fait accompli for over a year, planet-destroying policies. That since his government bought out the means building solidarity with corporation Kinder Morgan’s existing PM Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau: doublespeak Indigenous people on the front lines pipeline for $4.5 billion of the stopping construction. It means taxpayers’ money. Building the new increase in greenhouse gas emissions. our people are suffering,” Grand exposing the hollow arguments for pipe will cost at least $7 billion more. Even before adding in the increased Chief Stewart Phillip said in the “strategic” voting that portray the pollution from more tar sands statement. “Now is not the time to Liberals as better than the Tories. Double-talk development, this means that Canada recklessly pursue environmentally Most of all it means building support Trudeau has argued that the only way is 200 years behind schedule to meet devastating projects while our for the International Strike Against for Canada to meet its climate change its targets set for 2030. territories suffer.” Climate Change being planned for reduction targets is to increase tar In order to justify his environmental Legal challenges are being the week of September 20. sands oil production and sales. This hypocrisy, Trudeau had to double mounted, but direct action is also The climate emergency is no joke, is a variation on the old “we have to down on a parallel line of double- being planned to stop the pipe from no empty slogan and no fig leaf for destroy the village in order to save it” speak around Indigenous rights. being built. First Nations along the governments dragging their heels as argument. He announcement was heavy on route are building houses to reinforce capitalism destroys the planet before While the Liberals campaigned rhetoric about consulting, and having their land claims and stop pipeline our eyes. Our children know this and won in part as having a better the support of, First Nations for the construction. Trudeau claims that his is the fight of their lives. Let’s all environmental record than the Harper pipeline project. The reaction of the government has met its obligations by support them. After 3 months on the picket line, workers at Niagara Falls Rain For- est Café have won their first con- The names have been tract. The contract was ordered by the Ontario Labour Review Board arbitrator. The member of Workers United Local 2347 had been fighting for a changed to protect the guilty first contract since they organized over a year ago. by John Bell He can no more stop bullying the medical workers and teachers. He is “super agency”, it takes three hacks Their picket lines drew soli- people of Ontario than he could keep replaced by Rod Phillips, who has to usher in privatization through the darity from organized workers all Not content to grant themselves a 5 away from the Raptor’s parade. And been Environment Minister and lead- back door. Fullerton campaigned by over the region, like the delegation month holiday, the Doug Ford Con- since whatever goes wrong is always ing the charge against the “Carbon re-tweeting Islamophobic conspira- of bus drivers from Amalgamated servatives insist on keeping in the someone else’s fault, it’s time to Tax”. cy theories and posts from neo-Nazi Transit Union (ATU) local 1582 in public eye. Closing the legislature blame the supporting cast and shuffle The Lisas, both MacLeod and organizations, and Tibollo has been St. Catharines who joined in just doesn’t mean they can’t make our the cabinet. Thompson, were only following deemed a rising star for the enthusi- days before the settlement. lives miserable, it just means there is MPP Monte McNaughton is orders but they’ve both been scape- asm with which he has kissed Ford’s Tourists were encouraged not no chance to hold them accountable. moved from Infrastructure Minister goated for the chaos created in their ass at every turn. to spend their holiday money at a At least 2 million or so Toronto- to Labour Minister. McNaughton was portfolios, (Children, Community The premier who campaigned place where the employer steals nians got to tell him what they think against Liberal “gravy train” appoint- workers’ tips, condones sexual ha- of him when he had the nerve to crash ments seems hell-bent on surpassing rassment and takes the tourist tax the Raptors’ victory party.