SocialistWorker www.socialist.ca $2 no. 578 November 2015

Indigenous rights Page 2 Valerie Lannon, Sandra Fragola and Eric Lescar- beau discuss the ongoing fight for Indigenous rights after Harper Imperialism Page 3 Paul Stevenson challen- ges the notion that Rus- sian intervention will be any better than US inter- vention in Islamophobia Page 5 Valerie Lannon, Chantal Sundaram and Michelle Robidoux explain how the Canadian state uses Islamophobia to div- ide and conquer, and to scapegoat Quebec VOTERS TAKE OUT Election results Page 6-7 Jesse McLaren reviews the paradoxical election results that saw anti-Harp- THE TRASH er anger monopolized by the Liberals Civil liberties Page 8 Sophia Harkat exposes Finance Minister MP Stephen Woodworth Immigration Minister the reality of secret trials Oliver imposed austerity attacked abortion rights Alexander attacked refugees in Canada and calls for an end to the deportation of her husband Remembrance Page 8 On November 11 wear a white poppy to oppose war and support war resisters and refugees GONE GONE GONE Trudeau Page 9 John Bell remembers how used “strategic voting” to gain Veteran Affairs Minister Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arctic Council Minister power and attack workers Fantino attacked veterans Valcourt ignored women Aglukkaq ignored food crisis in the 1970s Climate justice Page 11 Carolyn Egan outlines a calendar of climate action to pressure GONE GONE GONE Facts & figures Campaign for 2 Indigenous Number of weeks after Trudeau’s election vic- children tory that he faces the first By Valerie Lannon and protests Sandra Fragola

13 Cindy Blackstock of the Number of years the First Nations Child & Canadian state has been per- Family Caring Society secuting Mohamed Harkat, helped to kick off Ryerson on trumped up charges University’s Social Justice through secret trials Week on October 5. She gave the keynote 100,000 address at an event entitled Number of people who pro- “Reconciliation: Ready, Set, tested austerity on October Go!” 3 in Quebec, in the midst of the election and ignored by Canadian values? the media in English Canada Blackstock began by pointing out that the most 1 million egregious forms of racism Number of votes the NDP in Canada historically have lost by campaigning to the all been “legal”—from the right Indian Act, to the Chinese “head tax” onwards. 4 million She emphasized that Number of votes the rather than focus on Liberals gained by cam- Liberals and Indigenous rights “Canadian values,” we paigning to the left by VALERIE LANNON should emphasize “human values,” and noted that Indigenous people were important to First Nations, Indigenous languages, and means freezing expansion in government racism against part of the jump in voter the Métis Nation, and Inuit implementing the TRC the tar sands and committing Indigenous children (through turnout that drove Harper communities—issues like recommendations. to building a justice-based, under-funding of services) In their own from office and that housing, infrastructure, But we can’t take the clean energy economy. After “is our Confederate flag, words defeated his Aboriginal health and mental health Liberals at their word. all, it was only a week ago and Parliament has laws that Affairs Minister Bernard care, community safety It will require continued that we learned that the give it life.” “There are a lot of bleeding Valcourt, who was the and policing, child welfare, mobilization both to hold co-chair of Mr. Trudeau’s She said that racism is hearts around who just face for government and education…we will them to these promises and campaign was not only most dangerous when it is don’t like to see people with indifference to missing ensure that the Kelowna to shape the way they are working for TransCanada combined with righteous- helmets and guns. All I and murdered Indigenous Accord—and the spirit of implemented to ensure that Pipelines, but offering the ness, “as with statements can say is, go on and bleed, women. reconciliation that drove Indigenous peoples have company advice on how like ‘No more funding for but it is more important to Trudeau has made it—is embraced, and its control over these processes. to quickly, and effectively First Nations, because they keep law and order in this some good promises on objectives implemented in For example, will a lobby a Liberal govern- won’t know what to do with society than to be worried Indigenous rights, while also a manner that meets today’s national inquiry into missing ment to get the Energy it.’ Or the hypocrisy of this about weak-kneed people pushing tar sands pipelines challenges.” and murdered Indigenous East pipeline built. That’s government that passed the who don’t like the looks of that destroy Indigenous Among other things, women be a top-down, saying nothing of Trudeau’s First Nations Accountability a soldier’s helmet.” territories and violate Trudeau promised to state controlled academic support for the Keystone XL Act, while not itself account- —Pierre Trudeau on using sovereignty. Mobilizations implement all recommen- exercise that pays lip service pipeline, his unclear stance able for the use of its own the War Measures Act to outside Parliament will be dations of the Truth and to Indigenous concerns—or on the Kinder Morgan funds” (presumably referring suspend civil liberties in key to both maintaining Reconciliation Commission a grassroots process where pipeline, and his, frankly to Senate expenditures Quebec, 1970 their promises and challen- (TRC), to launch an inquiry families of the victims and confusing, refusal to commit among other things). ging their pipelines. into missing and murdered Indigenous communities to ambitious climate targets Internal government “In Kunduz our patients As Grand Chief Sheila Indigenous women, to pro- are empowered to challenge on the campaign trail.” documents show that the burned in their beds. MSF North Wilson, of Manitoba tect Indigenous languages, the colonization of their ter- First Nations across the Aboriginal Affairs and doctors, nurses, and other Keewatinowi Okimakanak, to fund the improvement ritories that leads to violence country are actively oppos- Northern Development staff were killed as they explained, “I believe that of education infrastructure against women? ing pipelines through court Canada ministry had to worked. Our colleagues Mr. Harper, when he was and schooling of Indigenous cases, on-site land defense, reallocate funds from infra- had to operate on each prime minister, awoke a children and youth K-12, Fighting Liberal blockades, and demonstra- structure programs (housing, other. One of our doctors sleeping giant in our people, to remove the two per cent pipelines tions—actions that Bill roads, water systems) in died on an improvised and that giant is awake. The funding cap for services in When it comes to tar sands C-51, which Trudeau sup- order to cover education and operating table—an office new Liberal majority gov- First Nations communities, pipelines, Trudeau has ports, seeks to criminalize. social programs. Blackstock desk—while his colleagues ernment under Mr. Trudeau and to create a Federal pledged to overhaul the Pierre Trudeau’s 1969 asked, “Why not go to the tried to save his life.” is going to have to deal with Reconciliation Framework pipeline review process to White Paper tried to forcibly budget surplus for that?” —Doctors Without Borders a giant in the indigenous to help “settle land claims include climate impacts, assimilate First Nations, describing the impact of people of these lands.” and treaties.” opposed Northern Gateway sparking the Red Power Allies the latest US war crime in Most of the above appears pipeline and committed movement. Now, facing a Blackstock described the Afghanistan Maintaining Liberal to be in line with priorities to end fossil fuels sub- new wave of Indigenous heroism of Dr. Peter Bryce, promises articulated by the Assembly sidies and invest in green resistance, his son is trying a public health official and “I think too often our tone On its website, the Liberals of First Nations (see www. infrastructure. to appeal to the movement tuberculosis expert who wasn’t sufficiently positive have promised to ensure a afn.ca “Closing the Gap”)— But, as 350.org has while restraining it. It will warned the government of and optimstic. We need nation-to-nation relation- namely strengthening pointed out, “These are take all of us, under the the day that “residential a conservatism that is ship: “We will immediately First Nations, families and all amazing things, and leadership of Indigenous schools were hotbeds for the sunnier and more opti- re-engage in a renewed na- communities, sharing and campaign promises that activists, to combat the propagation of this disease mistic than what we have tion-to-nation process with equitable funding, uphold- Trudeau needs to keep. He Liberal oil agenda. (tuberculosis)” and that the sometimes conveyed,.” Indigenous Peoples to make ing rights, respecting the also must understand that disease was preventable with —Former Defence Minister progress on the issues most environment, revitalizing action on climate change as little as $15,000 in spend- Jason Kenney, after the ing. But the government Conservative’s racist, never released his report and sexist, homophobic and smeared him instead. fear-mongering election Today’s allies of campaign failed BC Liberals continue Harper’s legacy Indigenous peoples can take by ERIC LESCARBEAU part in the I am a Witness “The job of the Prime campaign. This campaign Minister is to get those Stephen Harper may Transit Nearly 10 years after the the Liberals are pursuing supports the complaint made resources to market” be gone but his callous In 2006 the Highway of symposium’s report, the exacerbates the conditions to the Canadian Human —Justin Trudeau, reassuring disregard for missing and Tears Symposium, involving Liberal government has yet that lead to violence against Rights Tribunal about Bay Street he will promote murdered Indigenous more than 500 people from to even begin consultations women. Billions are being inequitable funding for child the tar sands Women lives on through 91 Indigenous organizations, on implementing the report’s spent on industrial infra- and family services in First Christy Clark’s BC community groups and trade recommendations and, structure while transporta- Nation communities. “When you find yourself Liberal government. unions released a report in true Harper style, they tion, housing, healthcare, in a hole like this, the first Since 1969 dozens of containing 33 recommenda- refuse to answer requests for education and social servi- Visit www.fnwitness.ca for rule is simple: stop digging. women, the majority of tions on how to prevent the interviews on the subject. ces for local communities more information This is literally what we them Indigenous, have gone deaths and disappearances. all suffer the double burden need Prime Minister missing or been murdered The report identified a LNG profits of cutbacks and a temporary Trudeau to commit to. along the 720km stretch of combination of poverty and It is no coincidence that this spike in population. Socialist Worker Freeze the expansion of the Highway 16 between Prince lack of transportation infra- scandal comes at the same With the broad anti- tar sands and commit to a George and Prince Rupert in structure as the primary fac- time as the Liberals are Harper sentiment that swept e-mail: [email protected] justice-based transition to a northern BC, known as the tors leading to the murders pushing for an LNG indus- the Cons from office the web: www.socialist.ca clean energy economy. No Highway of Tears. and disappearances. Many trial revolution in northern time is ripe to demand lphone: 416.972.6391 huge new mines on top of This October BC’s can’t afford to buy a car so BC. They know that the LIEberals implement the ones that already scar All correspondence to: Privacy Commissioner they hitchhike and become implementing the recom- all 33 recommendations Socialist Worker the landscape, poison the Elizabeth Denham con- vulnerable to predators. So mendations of the Highway of the Highway of Tears P.O. Box 339, Station E environment and violate firmed that a political staffer the first and most important of Tears Symposium would Symposium. At the same Toronto, ON M6H 4E3 Indigenous and treaty in Transportation Minister recommendation in the force them to acknowledge time we can fight for a Published every four weeks in rights – it’s already big Todd Stone’s office deleted report was for a free shuttle the terrible state of social model of development like Toronto by the International Socialists. Printed in Hamilton at a union shop; enough. Instead, build a internal records about the bus transportation system to services and infrastructure that promoted in the Leap member of the Canadian Magazine just, clean energy economy Highway of Tears in order to be established between each in First Nations’ and Manifesto that contributes to Publisher’s Association / Canadian Publications Mail Agreement that works for people and avoid them becoming pub- town and city located along northern BC communities, healthy and safe commun- No. 58554253-99, Post Office the planet.” lic. This is a continuation the entire length of highway and expose the lie that ities and doesn’t sacrifice the Department, / ISSN 0836- —the call for the Climate of 10 years of the Liberals 16. The report estimated LNG development brings lives of indigenous women 7094 / Return postage guaranteed Welcome refusing to even discuss or that just 7 buses would be prosperity. for the sake of profit. acknowledge the issue. required. The boom and bust model 2 Socialist Worker November 2015 Blair ‘apology’ INTERNATIONAL for Iraq War

After years of stubbornly defending the illegal Iraq War, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair finally offered a half-apology. “I apologize for the fact that the intelligence we received was wrong...I can also apologize, by the way, for mistakes in planning and certainly our mistake in our understanding what would happen once you remove the regime. While conceding the war was based on faulty intel- ligence and contributed to the rise of ISIS, Blair did not apologize for the million people killed or the millions more displaced. Support war resisters But his half-apology does add more momentum to the ongoing campaign to win refuge for US war resisters. If even Blair can admit mis- takes for the Iraq War that led to a million Iraqi deaths and shattered Iraqi society, then ordinary soldiers refusing to follow those mistaken orders should not be punished. Canada did not join the Iraq War and a majority of people across the country support US Iraq War resist- ers. But Harper ignored the majority, criminalized war resisters and deported them to jail in the US. With Harper gone, there is momentum for the Liberals to finally end the discrimina- tion against war resisters and Syria: neither Washington nor Moscow to let them stay. Russia’s entry into the war in sire to build any alternative to this opposes Russian involvement. It Stop war Syria has been hailed by many brutality – even one that relies on is both sad and ridiculous to watch Arab Spring In the CNN interview where anti-imperialists as providing military intervention by other states western military pundits turn them- Only the return of the Arab revolu- Blair “apologized,” he also the antidote to US power in the – is genuine and is coming from a selves in knots as they condemn tions can bring peace to Iraq and expressed the frustrations of region. It is assumed that Russia desire for peace but it represents Russian bombing as destabilizing Syria. Western powers over their has no imperial aspirations of its a failure of political analysis and for Syria but remain steadfast in The Arab spring uprisings interventions in the Arab own and will help bring peace by requires us to ignore the realities of their support of coalition bombs provided a brief glimpse of what world. limiting the free hand of the US. imperial history. which have been destabilizing the the region could look like without “We have tried interven- This conclusion is based almost More bombs – just being dropped area for years. imperial interference. Millions took tion and putting down troops, exclusively on a comparison from different types of jets - will All foreign military interventions to the streets to oust dictators that in Iraq. We’ve tried inter- between the relative size of the US only expand and deepen the crisis are conducted with the interests of were in one way or another sup- vention without putting in versus the Russian footprint in the that already exists. the imperial state at heart. In the ported by the major powers. They troops, in Libya. And we’ve Middle East and the most recent case of Syria, Russia is attempting brought up the possibility of a true tried no intervention at all but military interventions of each state. Russian imperialism to assert some control over a region regional mobilization against the demanding regime change The smaller size of the Russian mil- that the US hoped would be part interests of the imperialists. in Syria. It’s not clear to me US imperialism itary and its lesser role internation- of its imperial framework. Russia that even if our policy did not It is true that the US global military ally doesn’t change the fundamental wants Assad to remain in power to No state will support that kind work, subsequent policies presence is enormous. They are dynamic of imperialism, which weaken the relative position of the of revolutionary wave. They will have worked better.” now engaged in military operations requires states to intervene militar- US in the global imperial pecking always try to crush it. States are not None of these have worked in a staggering 135 states around ily to benefit domestic capital. What order. benign entities. They are an expres- because all of them are based the world. The invasions of Iraq we are seeing is a Russian state, But the Russian bombing – like sion of the control of domestic on imperial intervention. and Afghanistan were war crimes damaged by sanctions and drop- the coalition bombing – will only ruling class against working people. After a decade of sanc- that exposed the US as brutally ping energy revenue, attempting to exacerbate the brutal conditions Any revolution is therefore seen as tions that killed a million aggressive in its plans for global reassert itself as a global player. that the people of Syria have had a threat to their control. Iraqis, the Iraq War killed a domination. The “war on terror” The relative weakness of the US to endure. It will strengthen Assad That is why revolutionaries in the million more. In response killed more than 1 million people and it’s failed imperial plans—both and result in more killing of those west must remain clearly in support to resistance that prevented over the last 14 years. the loss of control in Iraq and who rose up against him in the first of the movements of the masses the US from advancing into For some, therefore, it makes the lack of a clear strategy in place. The underlying tensions that against their own states and must Syria and Iraq, the US armed sense that any other state that is Syria—has provided the opening gave rise to the war in Syria will never side with governments that sectarian death squads, pav- challenging the US must be seen as for Russia. not go away with a new round of crush dissent at home and rule with ing the way for ISIS. an ally against imperialism. The de- The western media, of course, bombing. brutality abroad. Real “regime change” came in the form of the Arab Spring, toppling Western- backed dictators in Egypt and US continues war crimes in Afghanistan Syria. But the West inter- vened in Libya to highjack A year ago US President Barack his colleagues tried to save his life.” ground a fully functioning hospital caused stress and fear.” the revolution and support Obama announced that “our with more than 180 staff and former regime elements, combat mission in Afghanistan Imperial justifications patients inside because they claim Stop the war resulting in more civil war. is ending, and the longest war in The US military’s first response that members of the Taliban were This war crime, and its justifica- Then the West repeated the American history is coming to a was to dismiss it, claiming the at- present. This amounts to an admis- tions, gives a glimpse into the years process in Syria, but instead responsible conclusion.” tack on Taliban fighters “may have sion of a war crime. This utterly of terror unleashed on the people of of directly bombing it used What a shock then for patients resulted in collateral damage to a contradicts the initial attempts of Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia to arm sectarian and staff at the hospital in Kunduz, nearby medical facility.” the US government to minimize the In 2011 NATO launched the war groups, contributing to ISIS. Afghanistan, when the US bombed When MSF objected to the attack as ‘collateral damage.’ to “liberate women” and instead No imperial strategy can the facility last month—killing allegations, explaining they had “There can be no justification for supported misogynist warlords. bring peace to the region. 30 people, including 10 patients sent the US military their precise this abhorrent attack on our hospital NATO occupied the country for 13 The only solution is to and 13 members of MSF (Doctors coordinates days before the attack that resulted in the deaths of MSF years to “bring development” and support popular resistance to Without Borders). and also contacted them during the staff as they worked and patients as only brought war crimes and more repressive regimes, whether attack, the explanation shifted from they lay in their beds. MSF reiter- poverty. Now after claiming to have they are backed by the West War crime mistake to justification—claiming ates its demand for a full transpar- “ended combat operations” the US or not, and to stop our own As the executive director of the the hospital was a Taliban base. ent and independent international has bombed a hospital and then governments from bombing humanitarian aid organization As the aid organization wrote, investigation.” driven over the evidence of the war or intervening through arms. described, “In Kunduz our patients “MSF is disgusted by the recent Instead, NATO have claimed to crime. Harper deported war resist- burned in their beds. MSF doctors, statements coming from some be carrying out their own investiga- It’s time for a real end to the war, ers, sent fighter jets and sold nurses, and other staff were killed Afghanistan government authorities tion, which included sending in and reparations for the people of weapons to Saudi Arabia. as they worked. Our colleagues had justifying the attack on its hospital a tank to demolish evidence. As Afghanistan. To reverse Harper’s militar- to operate on each other. One of our in Kunduz. These statements imply MSF wrote, “Their unannounced ism we need to demand doctors died on an improvised oper- that Afghan and US forces work- and forced entry damaged property, the Liberals support war ating table—an office desk—while ing together decided to raze to the destroyed potential evidence and resisters, bring all the troops home, and stop arming Saudi Arabia. November 2015 Socialist Worker 3 IDEAS FOR STRUGGLE Faline Bobier INTERNATIONAL Capitalism and oppression Does capitalism need oppression? Theoretically, at least, it seems like the answer to this question might be no. The driving impetus underlying capitalism as a system is the need to accumulate and to create profits, as in Marx’s famous description of the profit motive in Volume 1 of Capital: “Accumulate, accumulate! This is Moses and the Prophets!” Exploitation, by which Marx meant the extraction of surplus value from the worker, is the process by which the system lives or dies. Surplus value, simply put, is the amount of money the capitalist makes after the wages paid to the workers for their labour – the profit margin, which the capitalist must then plough back into production or development of technology and means of production, in order to stay competitive with rival companies. Oppression - discrimination based on supposed shared characteristics of the oppressed group - may then seem like an add-on, an unnecessary appendage to the real agenda of the capitalist, which is the creation of profit. In one sense this is an accurate description of how the system might work in an ideal world, one devoid of real living human beings, where profits could be generated by non-differentiated robots who would simply accomplish their tasks, no questions asked. But of course capitalism is a system created by human beings moving through history. The workers whom capital- ism depends on for its profits also have the potential to be the system’s downfall, as in Marx’s famous phrase where he describes the working class as potentially the gravedig- gers of capitalism. Divide and conquer But this potential threat is not something of which our rulers are unaware. The critical role that oppression plays under capitalism is as a divide and conquer mechanism that makes it difficult for workers to see their common interests, whatever their gender, race, religion, sexual preference, etc. Of course, many forms of oppression have also been Greek workers set to strike economically important to capitalists at various historical periods. The foundations of North American capitalism by DAVE SEWELL, ATHENS were based on two horrific historical episodes: the stealing of land and resources from Indigenous peoples, which Unions in Greece have called a They stopped the meeting going ahead ments failed. continues to this day, and the institution of slavery (in- general strike on Thursday 12 for several hours as they put their own But Tsipras won the vote with just itially begun with poor whites and aboriginal people as the November against an attack on demands to the minister. 154 MPs in a parliament of 300, as all plantation slaves) which saw millions of Black Africans pensions. Job cuts have created a severe opposition parties voted against his taken forcibly from their homes to be sold into slavery in It is set to be the first general strike teacher shortage in schools. Workers proposals. the New World. in almost a year involving the private are considering strikes to demand The opposition from the neoliberal The foundations of successful US capitalism were lit- sector union federation GSEE as well more teachers are hired to fill the gaps. parties was opportunistic, but it shows erally built on the backs of African men, women and chil- as the public sector ADEDY. Thousands of workers protested the weakness of Tsipras’s position dren and the immense suffering and misery this entailed, as Port workers have also called a outside the Greek parliament earlier even before he has started making the was so convincingly portrayed in Steve McQueen’s movie strike on Thursday of this week as this month as MPs voted for left wing cuts. Twelve Years a Slave. It was no exaggeration when Marx part of three days of action against prime minister Alexis Tsipras’s new And the strike calls show that the described the birth pangs of capitalism and colonialism as privatisation. Workers and supporters austerity programme. workers who voted no to austerity in follows: “capital comes into the world dripping from head marched through the port town of Supporters of cuts hailed the vote July’s referendum aren’t ready to say to foot, from every pore, with blood and dirt.” Piraeus last week. as Tsipras passing his first major test yes to it now. Likewise, women’s oppression, although it predates cap- They aren’t the only workers who since his re-election in September. italism and arose with the division of society into classes are angry. They hope that a left wing govern- This is shared from Socialist Worker many thousands of years ago, plays a critical economic Rank and file teachers went into a ment could get away with passing (UK) role for the system today. The ideology of sexism explains meeting between their union and the on the cuts demanded by Greece’s and justifies women’s lower wages, since their primary role new minister for education last week. creditors where right wing govern- is still seen as that of wife and mother, regardless of what the reality may be. In particular, the role of the atomized nuclear family with mother at the center allows the bosses to absolve themselves of any responsibility for the social conditions in which these families are expected to survive. And as Ankara Bomb Attacks: Blood On austerity bites with attacks on the necessary supports to families, such as accessible healthcare, decent and affordable daycare, humane elder care – individual family Erdoğan’s Hands members, and particularly women, are expected to, and often feel humanly obliged to, step in and fill the ever- Over a hundred are dead and ment, winning 80 MPs. For this it has Turkey remains a member of Nato, increasing gap. scores more seriously injured after incurred the wrath of the ruling Justice whose secretary general simply echoed a bomb attack on a peace rally in and Development Party (AKP). Turkish government propaganda, Class unity the Turkish capital, Ankara. We In the months leading up to the June describing the bombing as a “terrorist According to Marx the working class is a class in itself. offer our condolences to the family, general election there were 200 attacks attack”. This means it’s in our objective interests as a class of friends and comrades of those on HDP events and offices, including The European Union, Britain and people who have nothing to sell but our ability to labour to killed, and we stand in solidarity a bomb attack on a pre-election rally the US also persecute the PKK, which band together and organize society differently. with all those demanding justice. that killed four people. The Turkish remains an outlawed organisation. But what needs to happen, Marx says, is that the The rally, called by trade unions, police did nothing to challenge this They have stood by as Turkey has working class needs to become a class ‘for’ itself – that is, was unarmed and peaceful. It sought wave of violence or catch the culprits. massacred Kurds fighting for their a class that understands its power and the need to organize to end the Turkish state’s war against Since then, Erdoğan has intensified freedom. collectively to overturn the bloody system that exploits the Kurdish people, which resumed the climate of repression and intimida- The HDP has expressed its deter- and oppresses us all. This can never happen when we are in July when Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s tion surrounding the HDP. At a speech mination to continue the struggle. divided from each other along gender, racial, national, reli- government ended the peace process. in August he denounced the HDP as a Two days of strikes have been called gious lines, or when we allow ourselves to be so divided. The rally was joined by many “terrorist organisation” that he planned by unions who helped to organise the When Russian revolutionary Lenin described revolu- from the Kurdish and Alevi com- to “teach a lesson” to. This same demonstration. The courage of the tions as festivals of the oppressed he was speaking to munities, along with left organisations, language has been taken up by a range movement in the face of the intimida- the reality of the liberating power of struggle. Just as the including DSiP, an affiliate of the of groups close to the AKP, as well as tion and violence it has suffered is an Russian revolution was ignited by groups of working International Socialist Tendency, one those linked to the far-right Nationalist inspiration to the left across the globe. women demanding bread, so revolutionary situations since of whose members was wounded in Movement Party (MHP). We stand together with the solidarity Lenin’s time have all included powerful currents struggling the attack. Not only did Turkish police The Turkish state itself, as well as movement unfolding internationally. against various kinds of oppression. fail to provide security for the rally, waging war on the Kurdistan Workers’ Lenin also argued that the working class movement once they arrived at the scene of the Party (PKK), has murdered Kurdish * Solidarity with the HDP; support the had to be a tribune of the oppressed. A working class that blast they attacked and gassed those civilians. In September police laid strikes accepts racist, sexist or homophobic ideas will not be able trying to help the wounded. siege to the town of Cizre on the * Victory to the Kurdish liberation to achieve its own liberation because it is these poisonous It can be no coincidence that the Syrian border. Over 20 were killed in struggle ideas that the ruling class will use to divide and conquer. bombs exploded at the site where the town, including young children. * No to the Turkish state’s persecution Fighting against oppression is something that needs members of the People’s Democratic No wonder that the crowds in Ankara, * Erdoğan must go to be taken up by all of us, whether we are talking about Party (HDP) were gathering. The HDP and in cities across Europe, in the * Free Öcalan women and men fighting and opposing sexism, about has united sections of the left with the aftermath of the bombings chanted * Lift the bans on the PKK Blacks and whites fighting racism in movements such as Kurdish liberation movement and, in “Erdoğan—Killer”. We are clear: Black Lives Matter, or Indigenous and non-Indigenous a historic breakthrough in June this Erdoğan has blood on his hands. This is shared from the International activists uniting to stop pipelines and to save the planet we year, passed the 10 percent threshold Western leaders are colluding in the Socialist Tendency live on. to needed to enter the Turkish parlia- war on the Kurds and the Turkish left. 4 Socialist Worker November 2015 Quebec not to blame for

Islamophobia Valerie Lannon, Chantal Sundaram and Michelle Robidoux look at Quebec history, the niqab debate, and resistance to austerity and Islamophobia The Tories tried to win an election based on Islamophobia and many blame the NDP losses on the niqab debate in Quebec. Once again, with the niqab as with First Nations rights and with immigration, the media are portraying Quebec as being more racist than the rest of Canada. The sad truth is that there is nothing about the bigotry that has been unleashed by the niqab debate that is unique to Quebec, as the poll results from English Canada indicate. Any attempt to blame Quebec for this deplorable “debate” only takes it to a new low, and provides a fig leaf for the Islamophobia that is born and bred in the “old-stock” vision of Canada promoted by the Tories— and the false claim of concern for women’s rights that too many in English Canada have bought into for years now. The niqab debate has brought this into sharp relief, not just in Quebec. Quebec history Islamophobia is by no means a Quebec creation, whether by those who continue to support Quebec’s sovereignty or by federalists within Quebec. But there are unique historical factors that colour the debate in Quebec. what books you could read. This oppressing, imperialist power. attention on the backlash against One of these factors dates back depth and breadth of religious The historic control used by the the niqab in Quebec, little to the struggle against the historic control did not have a parallel in Catholic church, on behalf of attention has been paid to the fact predominance of the Catholic English Canada, nor is there much British imperialism, can never be that this extremely dangerous church over all aspects of life awareness outside Quebec of why replicated by the small number divide and conquer issue has not in Quebec. This predominance the Quiet Revolution took place, of Muslims in this country, succeeded in dividing or deterring flowed from British colonial and the central role of the fight particularly the minute number of a broad-based movement against policies after the Conquest of against the Church’s influence. women who wear the niqab! austerity. New France that enhanced the Understanding how this In on October 3, over power of the clergy as a way of struggle to uproot the Catholic The danger to all of us 100,000 people from all over cementing their loyalty and ensur- church from state structures—and It needs to be emphasized Quebec marched in the streets ing social control. to free people from state-imposed that Harper’s whipping of Montreal chanting, “Les plus The church used this control religion—informs and shapes up of Islamophobia (and pauvres à l’enfer pour l’équilibre to channel desires for national the current debate on the niqab is “niqab-ophobia”) was done in the budgétaire” (the poorest to hell self-determination and defense of important for several reasons. election to play on Quebecers’ for a balanced budget).” It was the French language and cul- First, it helps to clarify the dif- rejection of religious dominance, organized by the Front commun tural identity into a conservative ference between that struggle and to capture votes from the NDP. (Common Front), an alliance of nationalism. The revolt against the situation today of a vulnerable Outside the election, Harper uses Quebec’s five major trade union both the Catholic church and the minority in Quebec—Muslims— Islamophobia to support western federations. birth of a new secular national- being forced by the state not to military interventions in the In defiance of a provincial ism came together in the Quiet do something (wear the niqab or Middle East and huge restric- public-sector wage freeze they are Revolution in the 1960s, a rapid hijab). This understanding can tions on civil liberties at home. seeking salary hikes of 13.5 per process of modernization and show how targeting Muslims Consequently, opposing the cent over three years, and two of secularization. The State took under the guise of “secularism” wearing of the niqab plays right the federations already have strike over the functions of the Church turns on its head the historically into Harper’s hands. mandates. in education, healthcare and progressive nature of the fight for And far from just being a This massive show of public social services. a secular Quebec, the fight to get “distraction” from the real threats sector resistance came just two Uprooting the power of the what was effectively a Catholic posed by austerity measures days after the second “human church was not easy. The period state off people’s backs. and anti-terrorism laws, rejec- chain” of parents who plan to known as the Grande Noirceur To equate that fight to shaming tion of the niqab has dangerous surround public schools across (great darkness), under Maurice and silencing Muslim women consequences for Muslims. Right Quebec with their bodies at the Duplessis’ Union Nationale who for whatever reason wear after the televised leaders’ debate beginning of each month to stop government, saw a clash between the niqab goes against the crucial in Quebec that highlighted the the cuts to their kids’ education. growing urbanization and indus- “While the media in English freedoms that were won through niqab, a pregnant Muslim woman Quebec is struggling with many trialisation, and the Conservative the struggles of the 1960s in Montreal had her hijab forcibly issues of national identity, ethni- (Catholic) nationalists’ attempt Canada has been eager and 1970s in Quebec, includ- removed by two teens. This city, and secularism that need to to maintain the old structures of ing the concept of a woman’s divisiveness, whether based on re- be worked out. But the best arena power. By 1960, at the end of to focus attention on the right to choose, and the idea of ligious intolerance or “old stock” for this is one of collective resist- Duplessis’ regime, only 54 per self-determination. Canadian nationalism, not only ance to the austerity measures that cent of adults 25 years of age had backlash against the niqab The debate over secularism endangers Muslims but seriously affect and can potentially unite attained a grade 6 education. in Quebec has not escaped the weakens the working class in people across those divides. Every aspect of society had in Quebec, little attention hypocrisy that infects the West. Quebec and English Canada. Anger and frustration against been shaped by the Church’s While debate rages over the hijab cuts and austerity can be turned dominance. The struggle for has been paid to the fact that and niqab, a crucifix hangs in the Resistance towards scapegoating, and women’s equality—from the Quebec National Assembly. In spite of poll results and of Quebec is no exception to the use battle for birth control and abor- this extremely dangerous It is clear there needs to be a the role of the Catholic church of racism and Islamophobia for tion to the fight for legal equal- discussion that the expression in Quebec’s history, there is a this purpose. But the people of ity—was fierce in this period divide and conquer issue has of religion by the monolithic strong anti-racist sentiment in Quebec are more than capable of of the Quiet Revolution. These oppressive Catholic church in Quebec. In fact, on October deciding their future based not battles are still fresh in the minds not succeeded in dividing Quebec is not the same thing as 2, Francoise David, MNA on social or ethnic exclusion but of many who fought hard to break the expression of religion exhib- and spokesperson for Quebec on resistance to austerity and the the hold of religion on their lives. or deterring a broad-based ited by a member of a targeted Solidaire, introduced a motion possibility of a Quebec, and a oppressed group, i.e. Muslims. It condemning Islamophobia, which world, beyond capitalism. The debate movement against austerity.” is like saying that the nationalism was unanimously adopted in the One can sympathize with the of an oppressed nation (such as Quebec National Assembly. visceral feeling of those who had Quebec or a First Nation) is the While the media in English to battle the church even about same as the nationalism of an Canada has been eager to focus

November 2015 Socialist Worker 5 VOTERS REJECT HARPER AND DEMAND CHANGE Jesse McLaren looks at the election results, campaign lessons, and what this means for the struggle

The NDP’s strategic failure

In 2011 the NDP became Official Opposition for the first Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in nearly 300 ridings, including those seats they held onto. time, based on anger at Harper, disillusionment with the Thanks to movements outside Parliament against Bill C-51 While the Tories/Bloc/Green had roughly the same number of Liberals and inspiration from the Arab Spring, and the and for $15/hr min wage the NDP began the federal election votes, the NDP lost a quarter of their votes, dropping a million occupation of the Wisconsin. While the Orange Wave ahead by a wide margin. In the context of Jeremy Corby (from 4.5 million to 3.4 million). showed the desire for an alternative The NDP leadership and Bernie Sanders packing stadiums, the NDP could have The NDP assumed a static electorate and chased Tory votes, reacted by taking the party further to the right demanded corporate taxes and climate jobs. They could have which failed to win over Tories, while also sacrificing NDP In there was a workers’ right campaign to stop become a megaphone for the rising climate justice move- and ignoring new voters. The Liberals portrayed themselves Hudak and growing campaign for $14 minimum wage and ment, and exposed the Liberals as the twin party of corporate as a force for change and monopolized new voters. It’s ac- against Line 9. But the NDP campaigned refused to support Canada. tually the higher voter turnout that cost the NDP in the GTA: $14 minimum wage, promised budget cuts and said nothing But instead the NDP leadership tried to reassure Bay St it Peggy Nash, Andrea Cash and Mike Sullivan only lost about about the climate. This allowed the Liberals to tack left, bury could manage capitalism. First Mulcair turned his back on 500 votes each but the Liberals that defeated them gained their history of austerity and pretend to be an alternative. This movements. While the climate justice movement has delayed 8-10,000 new votes. then encouraged “strategic voting,” which defeated left-wing Harper’s tar sands pipeline, Mulcair promised more tar MPP Jonah Schein where Tories weren’t a threat sands. While the anti-war and Palestine solidarity challenged Niqab debate not to blame Then came the Toronto mayoral race. After a series of Harper’s militarism, Mulcair silenced his own pro-Palestine The collapse of the Orange Wave can’t be blamed on the protests, deputations and a strike fought back against Ford’s candidates and defended fighter jets. While Black Lives niqab debate in Quebec. agenda personal scandals removed him from office. Olivia Matter has challenged police brutality and anti-Black racism, Quebec has now had a provincial and federal election Chow began the campaign in the lead, with the hope of clear Mulcair promised more police. Then Mulcair chased Tory vot- in which Islamophobia was a theme, and in both cases the alternative, in the context of Kshama Sawant winning in ers, scaling back corporate tax hikes and promising a balanced parties pushing it lost. This time it was only after the NDP Seattle support $15 minimum wage. But the campaign began budget. had blown their lead, by promising a balanced budget, that supporting small businesses and balanced budgets, blurring This results were devastating for the NDP. The NDP began the niqab debate emerged. And the Liberals had the same what should have been clear lines between her and John Tory. in the lead with 40% and ended up in third with 20%, losing position as the NDP and made gains. There was no riding in This allowed Tory to portray himself as an alternative to Ford, Official Opposition status to the Tories. The NDP lost 59 which NDP/Liberal vote fell, while Tory/BQ (who attacked and win. seats, including most of their gains in Quebec, and were the niqab) rose. Instead the Liberal vote rose in every riding in driven out of the Maritimes and the GTA. The NDP lost votes Quebec, and every riding across country. The Liberals and the vote for change

Liberals ridings, it went as advertised: Liberal vote went up, NDP vote Liberal surge. The NDP appealed to Bay Street rather than This is a contradictory situation. The Liberals are the went down, the Liberals took the seat from Tories. But the fight for an alternative. Not only did this waste an opportunity twin parties of corporate Canada, who made deep cuts to same didn’t apply to ridings where NDP were endorsed: in to build the movements but it also cost them at the polls— social services in the 1990s. They joined the invasion of those seats they won they was still a net gain for the Liberals which should be a lesson for the future. Trudeau filled the Afghanistan in 2001 and were only stopped from joining the and in 3 ridings the NDP failed to beat Tories because Liberal void by appealing to people’s desire for change, which has 2003 Iraq war by a mass anti-war movement. They propped vote didn’t transfer. raised people’s expectations. up Harper’s minority rule from 2006 to 2011, and continued So “strategic voting” was not a riding-specific tool for the Trudeau was elected to stop Harper, and there will be to support his recent majority government. Trudeau even NDP and Liberals to avoid “vote splitting” and cooperate to expectations he deliver voted for the draconian “anti-terror” law Bill C-51. But that’s defeat Harper, equally transferring votes from one party to the -A national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous not there was a surge in the Liberal vote. other. Instead “strategic voting” fed into the rhetoric that we women When Mulcair lurched to the right, Trudeau campaigned to should vote Liberal to stop Harper, which became a unilateral -A reversal of cuts to refugee health the left, claiming to be the progressive alternative to Harper. mechanism of transferring votes NDP to Liberals—allowing -An end to the deportation of war resisters Trudeau rejected a balanced budget and said he would run the Liberals to rebuild themselves by splitting the NDP vote. -A re-opening of Bill C-51 Tories rejected, in the street and at the ballot box deficits to pay for infrastructure and create jobs. He criticized The main victim of strategic voting was not Conservatives -A welcome to thousands of Syrian refugees spending on fighter jets, promised to tax and rich and warned but the NDP. The Liberals took 1 million votes and 51 ridings -an end to war that the NDP would bring austerity. from the NDP—including many MPs who have supported so- -etc After nearly a decade in power, Stephen Harper and the electoralism, resistance to Harper and austerity continued -Immigration Minister Chris alexander, the face of the Trudeau campaigned for “real change” and that’s what cial movements, like Andrew Cash, Peggy Nash and Rathika Conservative Party of Canada were voted out of office. throughout the campaign. When he used the refugee crisis to Tories’ cruel and unusual treatment refugees people voted for. Sitsabeisan. Instead it elected Liberals like former police Corporate Canada may have strengthened their hold inside Harper has been the face of Canadian austerity, racism, demand war and to criminalize refugees, there were mass ral- -former Veteran Affairs Minister, Julian Fantino, who The Liberals won 150 seats to get to 184, more than chief Bill Blair. But the reason why this pull was so strong is Parliament, but they did so by appealing to resistance outside war and climate chaos, and has been challenged through lies across the country to welcome refugees. When he created closed veteran centres Harper ever had, and they did so by doubling their share of because of the NDP strategy, which allowed the Liberals to Parliament and this is what matters most. In 2003 the Liberals multiple movements. The anti-Harper majority has now a campaign of hysteria against women who wear the niqab -Aboriginal affairs minister Bernard Valcourt, who showed the vote—from 20 to 40 per cent. While their percentage of outflank them to the left majority wanted war with Iraq and had support of the Tories. defeated him at the ballot box and demanded change, and there was resistance. In the midst of the election campaign contempt for missing and murdered Indigenous women the vote is no higher than what Harper had, the higher voter But a mass anti-war movement outside Parliament won over the Liberal surge and NDP collapse both speak to a desire Quebec public sector unions organized a series of one-day -Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, who presided over turnout meant that the liberals gained 4 million votes—from Contradictions and change the NDP, split the Liberals and stopped the government from for change. strikes against austerity, and on October 3 a demonstration of massive attacks on health while being indifference to the food 2.8 million to 6.9 million. With the Tories preserving their This election had the biggest voter turnout in 20 years. Years going to war. The recent election of a majority government Harper had a majority in Parliament going into the election, 150,000 people. crisis in Northern Canada number of votes, and the NDP losing a million the Liberal of opposition to Harper’s agenda mobilized 3 million more in Quebec hasn’t stopped a growing anti-austerity movement but there was an anti-Harper majority outside Parliament -and Wlzdyslaw Lizon, who first suggested Kenney ban the surge translates into taking a million from the NDP and the people at the polls, who rejected Harper and demanded real from mobilizing strikes and protests. which has mobilized over a series of issues. In 2011 the Tories niqab and that the government criminalize late-term abortions other 3 million from the higher voter turnout. change. Despite talk of “” there’s already a calendar Occupy movement exposed the system of the 1%. In 2012 The Tory vote only dropped 200,000, from 5.8 to 5.6 million, This was not an endorsement of the Liberals history of It’s tragic that the main beneficiaries are the Liberals, of resistance that can build on the anti-Harper mood and the Quebec student strike defeated a tuition hike and toppled showing that their campaign of fear and hatred succeeded in In 2011 Harper gloated that there would soon be a tory “hat complicity with Harper but a vote against Harper. Years of who regained the majority they had in the 1990s when cut begin pressure on Trudeau. the Quebec government. At the end of that year Idle No More mobilizing and maintaining their base. But it failed to win trick” with the provincial Tories winning after Harper won opposition outside Parliament demanded change at the ballot social services and the backing of corporate elite demanding -on November 5 there will be direct action at 24 Sussex to emerged to fight for Indigenous sovereignty, and Indigenous anyone over or to win new voters. On the other hand there federally and Ford in Toronto. That Harper had to return to box and voted for the party that people perceived best spoke pipelines and austerity. Like Obama, Canada’s 1% are hoping demand climate action, as well as an anti-austerity protest in communities have led a rising climate justice movement that was a surge in voter turnout against Harper, increasing by 3 the now disgraced Fords in last-ditch effort to win was a sign to that change. a new face will can continue the same policies. But the Montreal recently mobilized 25,000 in Quebec and 10,000 in Toronto. million votes. By a margin of 2 to 1, voters rejected the Tories that his grip on power was slipping. We can happy to have contradiction between people’s expectations and reality can -on November 29 there will be global climate marches, There have been campaigns to stop Harper from ending and voted for change. driven Tories from all levels of government, but in every case ‘Strategic voting’ produce change: under Obama we’ve seen the Occupy move- preceded by a people’s climate assembly in Toronto public mail delivery, restore cuts to refugee health, challenge As well as Harper no longer being PM, and resigning as the beneficiaries were not the NDP but the Liberals—and “Strategic voting” also cost the NDP. The “vote together” ment, Black Lives Matter, the Fight for $15 and the climate his attacks on civil liberties, and in Quebec a rising struggle leader, 67 MPs were voted out, including: in every case it’s because the NDP campaigned to the right campaign presented swing ridings to challenge the justice movement. We should take joy that Harper is gone, that he was against austerity. -Finance Minister Joe Oliver, who presided over austerity rather than mobilizing from the left. Conservatives; half were ridings where people were encour- This election was a clear rejection of Harper and demand voted out on desire for change and that movements outside While some elections see movements collapse into and attacked climate activists aged to vote Liberal, half NDP. If you look at the Liberal for real change, which resulted in both the NDP collapse and Parliament should feel emboldened to fight harder.

6 Socialist Worker November 2015 November 2015 Socialist Worker 7 ANALYSIS

REMEBRANCE DAY On November 11 wear a white poppy instead Justin Trudeau’s first large public event will be Remembrance Day, and the politics that dominate that day match well with Trudeau: paying lip service to ordinary people’s experiences while continuing the same ruling class policies. While the day is marked by red poppies and the glorifica- tion of “sacrifice,” the real history of the armistace is that of war resisters and revolution. The white poppy campaign helps challenge ongoing militarism and its impact on soldiers and civilians, including refugees. Remember war and revolution In 1914 the colonial powers that had divided the world went to war against each other. It could not have been a “war for freedom and democracy” because none existed: in 1914 Canada was in the midst of running its concentration camps—the residential schools—as part of its genocide against First Nations. Homosexuality and abortion were illegal, women were not even considered “persons” under the law, and the vote was denied to indigenous people, immigrants of Asian origin, women, people with disabilities, and men without property. Any progress we’ve made has been a result of people fighting for their own liberation, against the Canadian state, not Canada joining an imperial war. On Remembrance Day we should remember the war Harkat: stop deportation to torture resisters and revolutions that ended war. This began just a By Sophie Harkat and 80 year old grand-mother) had having access to the evidence against few months into the war, in Christmas 1914, when soldiers to be pre-approved by the CBSA. you? All original material and from the British, French and German trenches put down After 13 years of pure hell and Mohamed was only allowed three evidence for your case destroyed by their weapons and fraternized, only returning to combat on continued injustice, the struggle outings per week for four hours, each CSIS? threat of court martial. continues for pre-approved in advance by 48-96 The informant, who is the main In 1917 French soldiers mutinied, and Russian soldiers detainee and my husband Mohamed hours. source of the allegations, failied his lie joined the revolution that ended the war on the eastern Harkat. He was followed by an army of detector test and can never be cross- front. In 1918 people in Quebec resisted conscription, while Sixteen months of silence followed CBSA bulletproof-wearing officers examined in public or behind closed German soldiers joined the revolution that ended the war the second Supreme Court of Canada and CBSA vehicles were parked in doors by security-cleared lawyers on the western front. November 11 was a product of war (SCC) decision that deemed security front of our home. We had no access where no one would see his face or resisters and revolution. certificates “imperfect” and secret to technology in our home including know his name. The Harper govern- hearings “uncomfortable” for the SCC cell phones -- only my computer, ment gave the green light to allow the Red poppies vs white poppies judges, however still constitutional. which was kept under lock and key at use of evidence that comes or derives WWI was supposed to be the “war to end all wars” but the Mohamed received his deportation all times and the list goes on. from torture. century since then has been an endless series of wars, driven papers in the middle of an election Many times Moe offered to go back To put is mildly, a security certifi- by capitalist states fighting on behalf of their corporations. campaign. to jail because it was too hard on his cate is like being accused of murder, Armistice Day was turned from an anniversary of Because of the severity of allega- loved ones. Never! except you don’t know who you revolution into a state-sponsored glorification of war, and tions against him and according to During those years, we’ve had killed, when it happened and how red poppies became the symbol of sacrifice that states still Amnesty International, he is now at to share public washrooms, my you did it and you’re asked to defend demand. It has erased the history of war resisters and been great risk of incommunicado deten- gynaecology appointments, trips yourself. How can this be acceptable used to demand that more poor and working class people tion, torture or death if returned to to the dentist and a change room for anyone? I challenge anyone who become cannon fodder for the rich. Algeria. ‘Presumed terrorist’ is the because he could never be left alone. would accept that for themselves? In 1933 the white poppy campaign began in Britain, most damaging label someone can He was denied attendance at his own Let’s trade shoes for one day. organized by the Cooperative Women’s Guild of mothers, ever be given. 40th birthday party, followed at the Let’s look on the bright side, Moe sisters, widows and wives of soldiers killed in WWI. It For years, I had refused to talk grocery, restaurant, public bus, movie, is still here, the GPS is off, we have sought to raise awareness of the economic and political about the subject of deportation family and friend’s homes, at my more freedom, we have a loving factors behind war, and to campaign against war and the because I was confident in the justice grandfather’s funeral and everywhere family and supporters, we have a ter- arms trade. system, and always believed that we went. rific immigration lawyer, and we have In 2011 Quebec’s anti-war coalition, Échec à la guerre, justice would eventually prevail. This Imagine the constant sound of a each other. The truth is, he cannot launched their own white poppy campaign, to challenge time, it’s serious and very personal. walkie talkie following you. Imagine get a job because of the allegations Harper’s militarism and bring awareness to the civilian Other than the deportation fight itself, having no more personal space or on his back or because of the severe victims of war, including refugees. we no longer have legal remedies. private life. Imagine your home being bail restrictions that prevents him The large cloud that’s been hanging raided by 16 CBSA officers and from working around any type of From Harper to Trudeau over Moe’s head just got bigger and three sniffing dogs a few days before technology. The surge in opposition that drove Harper from office darker and the situation is real, urgent, your hearing only to be left without We no longer have financial assist- includes opposition to his militarism: his wars in Libya, disturbing and scary all in one. explanation. ance for his case and have to pay for Syria and Iraq; his arming of Saudi Arabia and unconditional We are fortunate that his family, For 13 years, we have been it ourselves. Our long-time, dedicated support of Israel; his military spending alongside cuts to supporters and I are ready to fight so dehumanized, humiliated, put into public counsel is on an extended veteran services; his cruel and unusual treatment of refugees, they never take him away. The reality question, even under oath. You testify: sick leave. Moe suffers from PTSD and deportation of war resisters. is, I need him here as much as he you’re a liar; You don’t testify, you are and he faces deportation to torture. I Trudeau is eager to portray himself as providing the “real needs me to fight for him. hiding something. Every word, every don’t know about you, but I’m pretty change” to Harper that he campaigned on, included promises movement, every breath, even those furious, I’ve had enough. to end Canadian bombing in Iraq and Syria and to welcome Secret trials, a precursor to loud sighs of my despair when CBSA I fear for the future where we are Syrian refugees. He needs to be held to these promises and Bill C-51 was breathing down my neck put into allowed to arrest and detain more indi- pushed on others: ending support for Israel and arms for Our committee has been warning question, not just Moe, his family and viduals based on allegations, associa- Saudia Arabia, welcoming war resisters and redirecting that it could eventually friends. Every aspect of our private tions and uncontested hearsay. I worry military spending into social programs. happen to them, and then Bill C-51 lives exposed and scrutinized by the about someone’s life being ruined by The Liberals portray themselves as the kinder corporate happened. Don’t start crying wolf court and the press. It’s our words an informant whose credibility and party, the party that didn’t send troops to the Iraq War of when they come for you or a loved against theirs, fighting a giant. Judged reliability can never be tested. I worry 2003. But that was a product of a mass anti-war movement one. It’s already too late. by so many who do not know us. about a court that continues to base that won over the NDP, divided the Liberals and stopped the It all started on Dec. 10, 2002 -- Ours was called a marriage of con- their decision on the lowest standard government from going to war. Human Rights Day -- after Mohamed venience by the court and the media. of proof or on reasonable grounds to On February 15, 2003 there were anti-war protests in was arrested by dozens of officers and There is nothing convenient about this believe someone could be a threat. It’s 80 cities across Canada and Quebec, as part of the largest thrown in jail without charge or access struggle. Years of sacrifices, all in the happening right here and will continue protest in world history. There were 250,000 people march- to the evidence and his legal team was name of freedom and justice. We mar- to happen. ing in Montreal, and the same massive numbers mobilized kept in the dark. ried for better for worst. A few months a month later. In the context of a Quebec provincial elec- Mohamed spent 43 months in short of our 15th wedding anniversary, Take action tion that would have punished the Quebec Liberals if their detention without any human contact 13 of those were hard. We don’t need your pity; we need you federal counterparts had joined a deeply unpopular war, Jean with his family, except through a thick We stuck to our vows, and I will to take action now. Do it for Moe, for Chretien announced just days before the war that Canada window, one year in solitary confine- continue to be behind him until he me and for others going through the would not take part. ment and then was released on bail clears his name and is safe and free. same struggle. Do it in the name of On the first Remembrance Day of the new Liberal under the toughest bail conditions in The saddest part is that Moe came justice. We can make a difference. government, we should remember this anti-war history. The Canadian history. That was the price to Canada for a better life and loves Make a much-needed donation to present day Parliamentary configuration is back to what it of his freedom. this country. He considers himself help with our high legal costs and was in 2003, where the Liberals have a majority, the Tories For seven and a half years, I became Canadian. He knows nothing else and sign our petition. Or you can organize are the “Opposition” and the NDP are in third place. But a full-time jailer and prisoner in my does not want to be anywhere else. a screening of the award-winning outside Parliament the anti-war movement has the potential home. Moe wore a GPS bracelet His roots and his family are here. He documentary The Secret Trial Five of mobilizing and impacting Parliament. around his ankle 24/7 and had to plug must stay and we are obligated to keep and invite us to speak to your group, On Remembrance Day wear a white poppy to remember himself in a wall to recharge two him safe. local, classroom. Contact your MP. the revolutions that ended WWI, the anti-war movement hours a day. There were two surveil- Regardless of the last Supreme Spread the word. Speak up! Public that kept Canada out of the 2003 war, and to help build the lance cameras inside our home and Court decision in May of 2014, many support and pressure is crucial to our ongoing movements to end war and the arms trade, sup- Moe was never to be left alone inside groups and organizations continue fight and to other causes. port war resisters and refugees, and fight for world beyong or outside our home. to believe that secret trials are capitalism and war. Mail and phone calls were inter- unconstitutional. Visit justiceforharkat.com cepted; all visitors, including our How is this justice? Being held family members (new born nephew without ever being charged? Never This is shared from rabble.ca

8 Socialist Worker November 2015 LEFT JAB REVIEWS John Bell Justin Trudeau’s corporatism The great American archi- Trudeau manufactured a ter- tect Frank Lloyd Wright got rorist crisis in 1970, imposed his start designing homes martial law in the form of the and public buildings in a War Measures Act, and used it Chicago suburb. to criminalize not only advo- I recommend the audio- cates for Quebec nationalism, guided tour of the neighbour- but trade union activists across hood. Some of the recorded the country. commentary is from Wright In the 1972 election the himself, including his descrip- Liberals were reduced to a tion of a home he designed minority government The in 1939, as a response to the NDP, led by David Lewis, rise of fascism. His idea was won 31 seats, and used their to build windows in all the balance of power to prop up corners, to cast light into the the Liberals for two years. dark places and expose the In 1974 they and the Tories threat. On tape, Wright almost forced a new election. The sighs: “Then I discovered you NDP had dreams of taking ad- can have corner windows and vantage of a wave of militancy fascism too.” sweeping the country. illustration by Sephiroth via deviantart.com Which brings me to Justin In the background was a Trudeau and the Liberal elec- combative Canadian work- tion victory. ing class with a magnificent Does socialism kill ghosts? Here is what I have been record of striking to win better BOOK hearing since the vote: yes, pay and working conditions. every Liberal government ever Hard as it may be for today’s By Glen Truax content and creators, than, say, Texas Yellow Wallpaper”, all the way up to elected in Canada has ended activists to believe, Canada led Chainsaw Massacre or Cujo. Rosemary’s Baby and its masterful up screwing working people. western nations in strike days I’ve been possessed by a fascina- Gothic fiction and ghost stories have treatment of pregnancy and the crazed But this Justin fellow seems “lost,” wildcats were common tion with the British writer Susan been largely the province of a great gender roles still propagated in the awfully nice so let’s just give and solidarity between public Hill. She’s the author of an ungodly many progressive people, particu- twentieth century, Gothic rt cleverly him the benefit of the doubt, and private sectors was the number of ghost stories and darkity larly women - Mary Shelley, Angela skewers and attacks predominant but spot him a couple of years to order of the day. dark dark mysteries, including the Carter, Toni Morrison, Isaak Dinesen, outdated norms. undo the Harper damage, and This climaxed in 1972’s wildly successful Woman in Black, Shirley Jackson and many more come But does a socialist emphasis on hope for the best. Common Front strikes in an international bestseller and long- immediately to mind. There is some- materialism and a rejection of ignorant Quebec, which essentially running play in London. thing about the claustrophobia of the “superstition” (including Christianity) Sunnier conservatism paralyzed the province and She perfectly captures the elements domestic life that women have histor- require a move away from spooky Justin Trudeau is the corner saw workers temporarily take that make up the traditional English ically captured brilliantly. tales of the past? window of Canadian politics. over industry, media and entire ghost stories, with a moodiness and As a syllabus, the Gothic genre One glaring example that the Gothic I’m not saying that Trudeau is towns. bleak attitude all her own. includes a variety of outlets, ranging is not bound by the superstitious is the a fascist. I don’t think Harper In the 1974 election Hill is also a conservative Tory who from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, existence of an entire sub-genre called was a fascist either. The creep- campaign, the Progressive believes that charity begins at home, Edgar Allan Poe, Dracula and its vari- Southern Gothic. In a nutshell, it is ing threat of fascism comes Conservatives, led by Robert loves the Royals, is married to a ous permutations, ghost stories in Gothic fiction hailing from that par- from the ascent of corporate Stanfield, campaigned on a Shakespeare expert, etc. She also hon- general (The Turn of the Screw and ticularly antiquated, backwards part of power, a power that can take plan to impose wage and price estly believes that some people are es- The Haunting of Hill House in particu- the Deep South in America. And most more or less belligerent forms. controls to break the mo- sentially evil, something that socialists lar), Ambrose Bierce, Angela Carter, importantly, it almost never incorpor- As repellant as Harper was, mentum of the unions. Pierre would categorically deny (the “evil” the film version of The Shining and ates the supernatural to create that ter- he was never the main enemy. Trudeau based his whole cam- accusation is almost medieval, given so on. What differentiates this pack rifying, unpleasant atmosphere that It was the rule of corporate paign on opposing wage and the accepted “social context” approach from its knuckle-dragging cousins in is the hallmark of the Gothic canon. interests–specifically the oil price controls. He ridiculed the to wicked acts or people). the mainstream horror genre is atmos- Real monsters exist, and they don’t and gas industry–over our dour Stanfield and out-flanked I’m reminded of something that phere. The idea is to aim at the creeps, need cloven hooves to invoke menace. democracy. To think otherwise the plodding Lewis. Stephen King once argued, that hor- a sense of terror and unease, rather While share-cropping effectively is to agree with the even more The call went out for ror was ultimately conservative. It than balls to the wall gut punch revul- replaced outright slavery, and while repellant Jason Kenney, that strategic voting, and workers deals with frightened people banding sion. Probably the best descriptor of the KKK did its utmost to maintain the problem with Harper was abandoned the NDP to support together to exclude the hated “Other”; the Gothic is “a sumptuous aura of a terror state for African Americans, one of “tone.” “We need a Trudeau as the best bet to stop basically a mentality that rejects any- eerie decay. the white gentry has been on a long conservatism that is sunnier laws limiting wage increases. thing foreign or unknown. The fact A more appropriate descriptor slow decline, degenerating, mutating and more optimistic than we Trudeau regained his majority. that this theory was dreamed up by would be an aura of aristocratic decay. into something altogether not whole- have sometimes conveyed,” The NDP lost half its seats. a guy who would normally consider It’s been argued that the early Gothics some. You don’t need ghosts to cre- opined the erstwhile Defence Within a year Trudeau im- himself “liberal” makes his argument were the result of Protestants’ fascina- ate a haunting atmosphere. People are Minister and would-be Grand posed the very wage and price that much more confusing. tion with the decline and degeneration troubled and unhinged on the past and Inquisitor. controls he had campaigned of the Catholic aristocracy, and while the creepier elements of the present Justin Trudeau is that against. Legal limits were Gothic politics we’ve come a long way, baby, it’s not without needing face-eating aliens or sunnier and more optimistic imposed on public employees And this where the delineation be- difficult to pick up on subversion in graveyard ghouls to round things out. conservatism. and workers in large scale tween the Gothic and the horror story later fiction. From the feminist, dark It’s the atmosphere that matters, and For me the most telling industry. begins. Gothics may focus on the re-telling of faerie tales in The Bloody that creates a wide-open playing field moment of the election cam- The Canadian Labour tragedies of the past, but the genre it- Chamber, to the attack on Victorian for anyone wishing to write dark, pos- paign was the resignation of Congress huffed and puffed. self is far more progressive, both in femininity and domesticity in “The sibly subversive fiction. Trudeau’s campaign co-chair, It organized a Day of Protest Dan Gagnier. Gagnier has a in October 1975, an attempt BOOK long history working with at a national general strike. and for the oil industry; he Hundreds of thousands of was caught advising his petro workers walked out. Marxism and women’s liberation buddies as to the best ways But Trudeau called the Marxism and Women’s Liberation ing the roots of women’s oppression to influence a new Liberal CLC’s bluff. There was no Written by Judith Orr and to organizing ourselves to end it. Struggle government. strategy or will to sustain the Reviewed by Faline Bobier Orr’s book grounds an understanding Capitalism needs the nuclear family An investigation by journal- fight, and the protests fizzled. of the origins of women’s oppression as the cheapest way to bring up the ist and petroleum industry That marked the beginning of This book is a must read for femin- in the role of the family and the way next generation of workers, at little critic Andrew Nikiforuk, in the decline in union organiza- ists and socialists, and really for emerging class society shaped it. expense to the capitalist class—espe- The Tyee, documents close tion in this country, and with anyone who wants to understand— She looks to the work of Marx and cially in today’s recessionary times. connections between Gagnier it a decline of working and and more importantly, fight to Engels, particularly Engels’ book This in turn, increases the level of and Bruce Carson. Carson is living standards that continues end—women’s oppression. The Origin of the Family, Private pressure on individual members the disgraced Harper advisor to this day. It is a masterful overview of the Property and the State, to refute the of the family—and particularly on now on trial for illegal lobby- The lesson is this: don’t by gains made by successive waves of notion prevalent in much patriarchy women—to try and meet all the ing and influence peddling. dazzled by Justin Trudeau’s the women’s movement and also theory that all women are oppressed shortfalls of a system in crisis (crum- Both were vice-chairs of the sunny, corner-window style. how those gains cannot be taken for by all men throughout human history, bling social services, healthcare and Energy Policy Institute of When push comes to shove on granted as the system goes into crisis and that this division is fundamental elder care, lack of affordable day Canada (yes people, this is an the issues the really matter– and triggers a backlash. to human nature. care, etc.). EPIC scandal). While Carson climate change, funding public Orr’s book reminds us of the many In many pre-class and pre-capital- It’s impossible to understand served as aide and senior services, restoring civil liber- heroic struggles, past and present, ist societies there is evidence of a women’s oppression without advisor to Harper for years, ties and scrapping imperialism women have been involved in for much less strictly enforced notion of understanding how integral it is to Gagnier was a senior advisor abroad–he is going to stab us our own liberation: the struggle for gender—rather than the rigid binary capitalism, and the most effective to the Chretien Liberals. in the back. the vote, the continuing struggle for of “male” and “female.” She gives way of fighting women’s oppression The essence of the incom- Not because he is a bad access to free and legal abortion and the example of two-spirited people is actually to wage the fight where ing Trudeau regime will not guy, but because the cor- reproductive justice, the fight for in Indigenous societies. With the we are strongest: in the workplace differ from the essence of the porations that control him (and sexual liberation and against the rigid institutionalization of the nuclear where people of all genders are outgoing Harper gang. And the controlled Harper, Chretien, gender roles imposed on women (and family and rigid gender roles in brought together and have to cooper- scandals that will inevitably Mulroney and Trudeau , et men) inside the family, struggles the 19th century, women and men ate together in order to win. pull it down will be the same. cetera ad nauseam) require it. in the workplace against sexism, were expected to conform to gender Thus some of the most important And until we come up with lower wages and the ghettoization of norms. This is one of the reasons gains women have made here in Pierre Trudeau a fight-back organized from women’s labour. LGBT people come under such Canada have been won by united I have lived under Liberal the ground up, not from the At the same time she reasserts the attack since they challenge these working class action—from mater- governments most of my life, top down like the CLC’s 1975 importance of Marxism as a theory norms. This is particularly true for nity leave to abortion rights. and it is their treachery that dog and pony show, they will which is critical both to understand- trans people. sticks in my mind. continue to get away with it. It is well known that Pierre November 2015 Socialist Worker 9 WHERE WE STAND The dead-end of capitalism The capitalist system is based on violence, oppres- sion and brutal exploitation. It creates hunger beside Activist calendar plenty, it threatens our sustenance through unsafe and unsustainable farming, and kills the earth itself with pollution and unsustainable extraction of oil, minerals, animals, trees, and water. Capitalism leads movement events to imperialism and war. Saving ourselves and the planet depends on finding an alternative. A system that is killing the planet Capitalist profits depend on extracting the world’s blood and bone. The devastating impact of capital’s assault on the planet affect the world’s most vulner- able populations and threaten the long-term mean- ingful existence of humanity. Capitalism cannot regulate the catastrophic effects of climate change. We stand for climate justice, including the concept of “just transition” for affected workers. Socialism and workers’ power Any alternative to capitalism must involve replacing the system from the bottom up through radical collective action. Central to that struggle is the workplace, where capitalism reaps its profits off our backs. Capitalist monopolies control the earth’s resources, but workers everywhere actually create the wealth. A new socialist society can only be con- structed when workers collectively seize control of that wealth and plan its production and distribution Climate welcome Global People’s Climate March to satisfy human needs, not corporate profits—to November 5-8 Sunday November 29 respect the environment, not pollute and destroy it. , Ottawa Cities around the world Oppression Within capitalist society different groups suffer from specific forms of oppression. Attacks on oppressed groups are used to divide workers and weaken solidarity. We oppose racism and imperialism. We oppose all immigration controls. We support the right of people of colour and other oppressed groups to organize in their own defence. We are for real, social, economic and political equality for women. We are for an end to all forms of discrimination and homophobia against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people. We oppose environmental International Socialist events racism. We oppose discrimination on the basis of religion, ability and age.

Canada, Quebec, Indigenous Peoples Canada is not a “colony” of the United States, but an imperialist country in its own right that partici- pates in the exploitation of much of the world. The Canadian state was founded through the repression of Indigenous peoples and the people of Quebec.We support the struggles for self-determination of Que- bec and Indigenous peoples up to and including the right to independence. In particular, we recognize Indigenous peoples’ original and primary right to decide their fate and that of their lands, heritage, and traditions. Socialists in Quebec, and in all oppressed nations, work to give the struggle against national oppression an internationalist and working class content. Internationalism The struggle for socialism is part of a worldwide struggle. We campaign for solidarity with workers in other countries. We oppose everything that turns workers from one country against those from other countries. We support all genuine national liberation movements. The 1917 revolution in Russia was an inspiration for the oppressed everywhere. But it was defeated when workers’ revolutions elsewhere were defeated. A Stalinist counter-revolution, which killed millions, created a new form of capitalist exploitation based on state ownership and control. In Eastern Europe, China and other countries, a similar system was later established by Stalinist, not socialist, parties. We support the struggle of workers in these countries against both private and state capitalism.

Elections and democracy Elections can be an opportunity to give voice to the struggle for social change. But under capitalism, they can’t change the system. The structures of the present parliament, army, police and judiciary protect the ruling class against the workers. These structures cannot be simply taken over and used by the working class. The working class needs real democracy, and that requires an entirely different kind of state—a workers’ state based upon councils of workers’ delegates.

Reform and revolution Every day, there are battles between exploiter and exploited, oppressor and oppressed, to reform the system—to improve living conditions. These struggles are crucial in the fight for a new world. To further these struggles, we work within the trade unions and orient to building a rank and file move- ment that strengthens workers’ unity and solidarity. But the fight for reforms will not, in itself, bring about fundamental social change. The present To donate visit system cannot be fixed or reformed as the NDP and many trade union leaders say. Nor can the system www.socialist.ca/donate or send a regulate itself to prevent environmental destruction cheque to and climate injustice. It has to be overthrown. That will require the mass action of workers themselves. Socialist Worker Fighting Fund PO Box 339, Station E, Toronto ON The Revolutionary Party To achieve socialism the leading activists in the working class have to be organized into a revolu- tionary socialist party. The party must be a party OPEN SATURDAYS, 12-3pm of action, and it must be democratic. We are an 427 Bloor Street West, suite 202, Toronto ; 416-972-6391; www.facebook.com/resistancepress organization of activists committed to helping in the construction of such RESISTANCE a party through ongoing activity in the mass organizations of the PRESS Students working class and in the daily BOOK ROOM Austerity struggles of workers and the & oppressed.If these ideas make ideas for sense to you, help us in this project Resistance and join the International Socialists. struggle

10 Socialist Worker November 2015 [email protected] MARCH OF WOMEN TORONTO DISABILITY PRIDE MARCH STICKING WITH THE UNION by CHANTAL SUNDARAM Carolyn Egan Despite pouring rain, local supporters of the World March of Women in the Outaouais region No honeymoon for came out to a commun- ity supper and festive the Liberals spectacle on October 15 to support the regional Now that there is a lead-up to a Quebec-wide Liberal government in action and tar sands expan- rally on October 17, under Ottaw,a the working class, sion don’t mix.” the banner “Libérons nos social justice and climate The ask is that Trudeau corps, notre Terre et nos movements must be re- commit to freeze the territoires!” (“Liberate lentless in their demands expansion of the tar sands our bodies, our Earth, our for change. and commit to a justice- territory!”). The Harper government based transition to a clean Although the march was tossed out because energy economy. This is to through the streets of down- people across the country be followed up with mass town Gatineau was can- could no longer tolerate demonstrations in Ottawa celled due to heavy rain, the conditions as they were. and across the country mood was high in celebrat- They wanted an end to the in conjunction with the ing Quebec’s hosting of the Islamaphibia and racist planned march in Paris on World March of Women in divisions the Conservatives November 29. Buses will regions across Quebec. Free were sowing. They hoped be leaving from Toronto food and feminist musical by JESSE MCLAREN for a government that and other centres close to performances took place recognizes the needs for Ottawa and local actions in the main building of the Saturday October 3 was wall: October 24, 1 p.m. at since the Accessibility for climate justice and would will be taking place as well. Universite du Québec en the fifth annual Toronto Queen and Shaw. She also Ontarians with Disabilities stop the ravages of the A world-wide climate Outaouais, scene of recent Disability Pride March. discussed the intersection Act became law and still austerity agenda. justice movement is confrontation between po- As the organizers of disability and anti-Black it has not been adequately They are not going to organizing and intends lice and students, and nota- explained, the march aimed racism, and denounced the enforced. MPP Cheri get that with the Trudeau to keep up the pressure bly between police and pro- to disproportionate levels of DiNovo spoke about the Liberals. You need only no matter the outcome of fessors defending students’ -bring recognition of police violence directed at lack action from Queen’s look back to Paul Martin the Paris deliberations. It right to strike. the struggles and value of racialized mad people. Park and the need for the and other Liberal icons understands well that this is The World March of people with disabilities TDPM began in 2011 disability movement to who slashed the transfer a long term struggle against Women will culminate in as we fight against ab- during Occupy Toronto. As keep mobilizing. payments to the provinces governments and captains bringing together an an- leism and other forms of co-founder Melissa Graham David Lepovsky, Chair that paid for health care of industry across the globe ticipated 15,000 people oppression explained, “not only are of the Accessibility for and the social safety net, whose goals are always to on October 17 in Trois- -be visible and show people with disabilities part Ontarians with Disabilities robbed the Employment maximize profits, letting Rivières. The event’s that we have a voice in our of the 99%, they are typ- Act Alliance, discussed Insurance fund and attacked nothing stand in their way. focus on centres outside of community and a right to ically part of the lowest 1% the ongoing barriers for workers. Former Prime The fact that Harper is Montreal and Quebec City be heard by taking to the of the 99%.” The austerity people with disabilities Minister Pierre Trudeau gone should fool no one builds on previous Quebec- streets agenda is sharpening this and the need to enforce the was best known for the that the relentless attacks wide actions against auster- -celebrate and take oppression -- through cuts Accessibility for Ontarians War Measures Act, which on working people and ity that have dug deep into pride in ourselves as a to social assistance, social with Disabilities Act. He took away the basic civil the poor will stop or that Quebec’s regional sentiment community of people with housing and transportation called on people to use liberties of trade unionists the rape of the earth for for resistance to both oppres- disabilities that disproportionately af- the federal election to and activists in Quebec. its natural resources will sion and austerity. The first speaker, fect people with disabilities. push for a Canadians with lessen. If anyone has any And, as the media re- Indigenous songwriter and As Kevin Jackson, Disabilities Act, and to Climate justice doubt, the co-chair of the lease for the Trois-Rivières activist Diem Lafortune, TDPM organizer and mem- use citizen journalism to There is no time for a federal Liberal campaign rally says, the event “will explained how traditional ber of the Ethno-Racial expose everyday instances honeymoon with the made that very clear in his demonstrate the strength economies provided for People with Disabilities of lack of accessibility. Liberals. The climate email to energy giants with of women’s mobilization people according to their Coalition of Ontario After nine years in power justice movement is leading tips on how to best lobby a for true equality between needs. But colonialism explained, the march is not the Conservatives failed to the way with actions new government. men and women, between has inflicted deep scars, about charity, sympathy deliver on their promise of planned through the fall, Trade unions have signed women themselves, and be- impacting mental health. or a cure but respect for introducing a national dis- leading up to the United on to the LEAP Manifesto, tween peoples.” Disability scholar Tracy people with disabilities as ability act, and the Liberals Nations conference on the which links the fights for It is this call for true Mack described how in human beings. TDPM is have yet to match the NDP environment in Paris. The climate justice with the equality that will give the the nineteenth century not a parade but an act of and Green Party commit- first event was planned struggle against austerity. lie to those, like the Tories, the Toronto asylum (now solidarity and resistance, ment. For an election action before the election and was It puts forward an anti-cap- who claim to speak for CAMH), incarcerated exposing the priorities of kit visit barrierfreecanada. to happen no matter what italist approach highlighting women’s rights, all in the people with disabilities the system. As the marchers org. party was elected, because an anti-racist,class perspec- name of persecuting Muslim as a source of free labour chanted, “Build ramps, not none of them were seen tive. Meetings are being women, and all the while ig- -- and there’s an upcom- bombs!” This is shared from rabble. to be strong enough on held in every province noring murdered and mis- ing historical tour of the It’s been a decade ca environmental questions. organizing locally on the sing Indigenous women in November 5 through 8 a principles it espouses. this country. Climate Welcome is being The Canadian Labour planned in Ottawa. The Congress has endorsed ‘BARBARIC CULTURAL PRACTICES’ description is “a series of the November 29th rally by JULIE DEVANEY identifying the worst of rights and to human rights. Baksh said he joined the gentle, civil disobedience Union activists should get the Conservative record, Adding other appeals to action “in support of this actions…to welcome Justin involved. Let the Liberal “Say it loud, say it clear, including: refusing to call racism under the cover issue and for Muslim Trudeau to office and call government know that there Muslim women welcome an inquiry into missing ‘barbaric cultural practices’ women in general and to on him to work on real will be no honeymoon. here!” was the chant and murdered Indigenous deepens the outrage.” talk about the divisiveness climate action. We know Working people and the that filled the sidewalk women, denying health The rally began with Harper is trying to put out people will need to push for poor want real change and outside of Minister of the care to refugees, voter sup- Michelle Robidoux from there.” an urgent and drastic shift are prepared to fight for Status of Women Kellie pression and the destruction the Ontario Coalition for “It’s working,” added in Canada’s climate policies it. Lets get into the streets Leitch’s campaign office of the environment. Abortion Clinics telling the Baksh, “because Muslim ahead of the Paris talks. We and show Ottawa that we in Alliston, Ontario on the Harper’s Conservatives crowd: “We are here to say women wearing the niqab also know that this starts are part of an international afternoon of Thursday have also been whipping there are many things in are afraid to go out in with a Prime Minister that movement for climate October 8. up racism and xeno- this country that are deeply public and to go shopping. understands that climate justice. Women’s groups and phobia under the guise of disturbing, but they are not Harper wants to pit the their supporters gathered “women’s rights” by pro- the niqab. What is disturb- rest of the public against in response to Leitch posing a ban on the niqab ing is Ministers Kellie Muslims so he can win joining with Immigration at citizenship ceremonies Leitch and Chris Alexander this election. I appreciate Minister Chris Alexander and possibly for all public fomenting xenophobia and when I look around and to announce their “barbaric servants. In response, mistrust, getting neighbours see everybody here today cultural practices” hotline. there have been a rash of to spy on each other with who are non-Muslims and While this hotline is de- incidents, including the as- a hotline. Where is the I appreciate people coming signed to divide neighbours sault of a pregnant, Muslim hotline for Missing and out and showing that we on the basis of religion woman in Montreal and Murdered Indigenous have good support from -- in essence inviting white woman wearing a niqab Women? Where is the the community out there Canadians to spy on their in Toronto being attacked inquiry? It is barbaric that because it goes to show Muslim neighbours and while shopping with her the Prime Minister ordered that we all want to stand “report” on them -- this ac- daughters. a halt to refugee acceptance up for equality, we all want tion, organized by Women In a statement in solidar- while thousands of people to stand up for justice and Working with Immigrant ity with the action, Judy were drowning while flee- we want to make sure that Women and endorsed Rebick said, “That the ing wars.” people have that freedom by the Ontario Coalition most anti-feminist leader in Others in the group won- and right to choose.” for Abortion Clinics and decades is using women’s dered why, if Conservatives Passers-by honked their Toronto Health Coalition, rights to cover his blatant want to “protect” Muslim horns and stopped to read was coordinated to identify racism and sexism adds women, they don’t appear the signs and express “barbaric Conservative insult to injury. What we to be asking any Muslim support. practices.” wear is an individual choice women what issues they Signs were pasted just like control of our bod- care about in this election. This is shared from rabble. onto the side of the office ies. It is central to women’s Participant Mohamed ca

November 2015 Socialist Worker 11 SocialistWorker TELL JUSTIN TRUDEAU... Much of the opposition promote tar sands. that challenged Harper Attending Trudeau’s was from the Indigenous- victory rally was one of led climate justice move- the “partnerships” he was ment. If the Liberals cam- referring to: Phil Fontaine, paign slogan “real change” former head of the Assembly is to mean anything, it of First Nations who now must mean real action for runs a consulting firm that climate justice. pipeline companies use to This year is the hottest lobby First Nations and to on record, and the recent claim Indigenous support. Hurricane Patricia smashing While Trudeau might into Mexico show what will support corporate partner- happen if we don’t rapidly ships, he supported Bill reduce carbon emission. C-51 that seeks to criminal- The climate crisis is ize Indigenous resistance to urgent, and what happens pipelines. in Canada will make a huge The corporate media difference. As climate scien- are cheering Trudeau’s tist James Hansen warned, invitation for other parties “If Canada proceeds [with to join him at the Paris the tar sands] it will be game climate talks. But with every over for the climate.” major party supporting Fortunately a climate the tar sands, this is just a justice movement is rising. cynical attempt to portray a consensus in favour of tar Climate justice sands and to undermine the movement climate justice movement. Idle No More emerged in December of 2012 to Real change challenge Harper’s attack But the climate justice on environmental legislation movement had no illusions and ongoing colonization that the election would make of Indigenous territories, real change, and the surge in epitomized by the tar sands. voters who drove out Harper Since then the climate jus- The Leap Manifesto As The Globe & Mail While the Conservative he visited politicians in won’t simply accept lip tice movement has delayed (leapmanifesto.org), explained, “In the mid- frontal challenge to the cli- the US to reassure them service. every major pipeline propos- launched in the midst of the 1990s, with oil prices at mate justice movement only that he would continue to Plans for direct action al. A wall of First Nations election, shows a broad vi- depressed levels, the Liberal increased its strength, the support the Keystone XL November 5-8 at the opposition has delayed the sion for climate justice that government of Jean Chrétien Liberals are trying a softer pipeline.“My support for Prime Minister’s residence Northern Gateway pipeline goes beyond the ballot box. had to provide tax breaks approach of lip service and Keystone is steadfast,” he (climatewelcome.ca) began to the west coast, and last Clearly Harper’s ad- to rescue the industry, in appeasement while continu- said. before the election, and this year mass civil disobedi- versarial approach to the particular the two major oil ing the same policies. During the first leader’s is continuing to build mo- ence on Burnaby mountain climate justice movement sands producers, Suncor and debate in the recent federal mentum after the election. delayed the Kinder Morgan is not working for the 1%, Syncrude Canada Ltd. Trudeau’s version of election, Trudeau tried to There will also be pipeline. and they are hoping a more “It wasn’t until inter- “change” reassure Bay Street that he protests across the country The climate justice move- friendly face can help national crude prices began When Attawapiskat Chief could promote the tar better and around the world on ment in Ontario and Quebec expand the tar sands. to soar in 2003–reflecting Theresa Spence went than Harper could. November 29, on the eve of have delayed the Line 9 war in the Middle East on hunger strike against Trudeau accused Harper the Paris climate talks.These and Energy East pipelines, Liberal tar sands and the rise in China’s Harper’s policies in 2012, of making the tar sands “a talks, controlled by the and those on both sides of The tar sands have always demand–that the oil sands Justin Trudeau met with scapegoat around the world capitalist states who subsid- the border have delayed the been a joint project between sector found firm economic her. “It was deeply moving for climate change” and ize oil and gas companies, Keystone XL pipeline. Liberal and Tory govern- footing and expansion began to meet [Theresa Spence] of eroding public trust in won’t stop the climate crisis. This year the climate ments. Both parties have in earnest.” today. She is willing to pipelines. He said that “the But the talks will serve justice movement mobil- subsidized the tar sands, and Now that a fall in China’s sacrifice everything for her job of the Prime Minister as a focus for the climate ized 25,000 in Quebec City whereas Harper took Canada demand and a surge in people. She shouldn’t have is to get those resources justice movement to demand and 10,000 in Toronto, and out of the Kyoto protocol fracked gas has driven down to,” he said at the time. to market” and that he real change, including climate justice activists the Liberals simply ignored oil prices, the Liberals are Despite this lip service, would “restore public trust” Indigenous sovereignty and intervened in the election it and let carbon emissions again coming to the tar Trudeau was not moved on and “make sure the right climate jobs. demanding action. rise under their rule. sands’ rescue. pipelines. The next year, partnerships are in place” to

Never miss Harkat: no deportation to torture It is not a coincidence that of proof of any court in must be declared unconstitu- Ultimately, Security an issue. Mohamed Harkat received Canada. And, they allow the tional, counter to the Charter Certificates must be Mail in this form with a his deportation papers in ultimate injustice: deporta- of Rights and Freedoms, and abolished. But right now, it cheque or money order made the middle of the federal tion without charge to unfair abolished. is critical that they not be payable to “Socialist Worker”. election campaign. imprisonment, torture or used to send a man to torture Or complete the form online Though it may have been death. Secure Freedom in Algeria. atsocialist.ca/subscribe eclipsed by the niqab debate, But on October 19, A 2006 film made by Justin the affidavit for Harkat`s voters sent a strong signal Trudeau’s own brother, What you can do: Prices per year deportation to Algeria, and that they reject the overt documentary filmmaker The Justice for Mohamed (CAD dollars): most certainly to torture, Islamophobia and war- and journalist Alexandre Harkat campaign is re- Regular subscription: $30 was yet another indication mongering of the Tories. (”Sasha”) Trudeau, makes launching its efforts in an U.S.: $50 of Harper`s deliberate stok- The Liberal withdrawal of this very case. attempt to stop the deporta- Other international: $60 ing of Islamophobia. Canada`s fighter jets from Secure Freedom chron- tion. They are requesting The deportation is the the Iraq-Syria mission was icles Alexandre Trudeau’s both support and donations consequence of a “Security the first follow-through efforts to support Syrian to help with legal costs: Certificate,” under the on that election mandate. refugee , one donate here and sign the Name: Immigration and Refugee The public sentiment of the five men who have petition here. Protection Act, which allows demonstrated in the election had Security Certificates The award-winning for the imprisonment in is also a new opportunity issued against them. In fact, documentary The Secret Address: Canada of refugees and to relaunch a movement Trudeau offered to be a Trial Five is available for permanent residents without to defend and regain civil surety for Almrei, and his screening, and members of Phone: charge. liberties in this country. appearance in court gener- the campaign can be invited Security Certificates allow On election night Liberal ated front page coverage and to speak to your group, E-mail: for secret trials in which Adam Vaughn, who major media attention to the union local, or classroom. evidence is not disclosed unseated Olivia Chow, Security Certificate issue for And contact your MP, no Mail to: Socialist Worker, PO Box 339 to the detainees or their declared the Liberals to be the first time. matter which party, to re- Station E, Toronto, ON Canada, M6H 4E3 lawyers, and the full right to “the Party of the Charter.” Justin should give his mind them that deportation Website: E-mail: www.socialist.ca / [email protected] appeal is denied in a process The Liberals must be held brother’s film another watch to torture is unacceptable. that uses the lowest standard to that: Security Certificates today.