Worker Socialistwww.socialist.ca $2 no. 545 October 2012

AND THE TORIES’ WARS: ABROAD AND AT HOME PQ Opportunism Page 2 Jessica Squires on the new PQ government

Threats to Iran Page 3 Niaz Salimi on Harper’s drive to war

South Africa Page 4 John Bell on the miners’ victory

Climate Chaos Page 5 Bradley Hughes on capital and environment

THE HARPER government state, a supporter and beneficiary 312 but as the motion’s instigator, security. Abortion rights supports the looming war on of US imperialism, is keen to sup- Stephen Woodworth, said after the After years of sustained cam- Iran, while attacking women’s port the war ideologically, if not motion’s defeat, “I want Canadians paigns, indigenous communities Pages 6 & 7 rights and destroying the militarily. to remember that no great issue is have put the issue of tar sands on the environment at home. In 2003 the anti-war movement ever determined by a single vote in national agenda and now there’s a Carolyn Egan on how stopped Canada from officially the House of Commons. It remains broad-based opposition on the West choice was won War on Iran participating in the Iraq War so for the Canadian people to rise coast—which is threatened with oil Prime Minister Stephen Harper has we need to mobilize again to stop up even more strongly.” Motion spills. On October 22 there will be called Iran “the world’s most serious Canada from joining the new war. 312 was not designed to win in a mass Defend Our Coast sit-in at threat to international peace and se- October 6 is a day of action against Parliament but rather to encour- the provincial legislature against Howard Zinn curity” and claimed that the major war on Iran, and as we challenge age the anti-choice movement to tar sands tankers and pipelines—in- Page 9 threat for Canada is “Islamicism.” the war abroad we also need to fight mobilize. cluding First Nations, environment- Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird Harper’s war at home—against Anti-choice forces are not resting alists, students and workers—to op- Abby Fung on the recently announced complete sev- people and the planet. after the defeat of Motion 312 and pose tar sands and demand a green people’s historian ering of diplomatic relations with neither should we. October 20 will future. Iran, while Immigration Minister War on choice be a pan-Canadian day of action “Tens of thousands of unionized Jason Kenney claimed Canada is a Immigration Minister Jason Kenney for choice, which will be critical and other jobs depend on healthy Omar Khadr haven for persecuted Iranians. banned Muslim women from cit- to showing the pro-choice major- river and ocean ecosystems,” The US has long wanted to attack izenship ceremonies if they wear ity across the country and building said Susan Spratt, Canadian Auto Page 11 Iran but the military quagmires in a veil, claiming Islam is the major the resistance to Harper’s war on Worker Area Director for BC and Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the threat to women’s rights across choice. Alberta. “On October 22 we will Kimberly Winter on economic crisis have stretched its Canada. But by joining nine other be standing in solidarity with thou- racism and his return capacities and made a direct attack cabinet ministers—including War on the planet sands of working people in BC difficult. However, the economic Status of Women Minister Rona Wars abroad are fought for oil, and and our First Nations sisters and crisis is sharpening inter-imperial Ambrose—and a majority of Tories with oil. The largest consumer of oil brothers.” rivalries and the Arab Spring has in supporting anti-choice motion is the military, and war threatens the We need to oppose all these wars threatened Western control of the 312, Kenney has made it clear planet both directly through bombs while uniting the resistance—de- region. The US threatens to use its the major threat to women is the and indirectly through climate manding an end to militarism and proxy power, Israel—the region’s anti-choice movement and its Tory change. While Harper blames Iran, the oil economy that supports it, and most serious threat to peace and se- supporters. he ignores the tar sands and climate building movements for a future of CPMA No. 58554253-99 curity—to attack Iran and reassert Harper was not confident to dir- change—which is truly one of the reproductive justice and a peaceful, ISSN No. 0836-7094 its role in the region. The Canadian ectly support anti-choice motion most serious threats to international healthy planet. West NDP justifies Enbridge coast pipeline salmon by VALERIE LANNON DOES THE NDP’s support stocks for oil refineries as a means of job creation play into the proposal by BC dwindle media mogul David Black? D’ARCY BRIGGS Black wants a $13 bil- by lion refinery to be built in AS THE proposed Kitimat, the western terminus Enbridge pipeline project of Enbridge’s proposed pipe- threatens much of the line, carrying bitumen from west coast’s beautiful Alberta’s tar sands. Refined natural landscapes and oil would be shipped else- habitats, the salmon where. Black has no financial are experiencing rapid backing because buyers pre- drops in their populations fer to refine oil closer to its from profit-driven use locations, but he appears global warming and to have the support of the fed- over-harvesting. eral NDP. An article published in According to NDP energy the January 2001 edition of critic Peter Julian, “we are Science found that 40-95 per happy that more people are cent of wild sockeye salmon looking at valued-added pro- that use the Fraser River to Kenney pinkwashes war on Iran duction in the country. We reach their spawning ground need to maximize the po- are dying, despite the reduc- by JESSE MCLAREN citizenship ceremonies, claiming that ally criticized for ignoring homophobia tential of our resources, and tion of their direct harvesting. his government “want[s] women to be and transphobia, as Sharalyn Jordan of the fact that Mr. Black put A common genomic profile IMMIGRATION MINISTER Jason full and equal members of Canadian so- the Rainbow Refugee Committee ex- forward that proposal shows was found during the study Kenney is helping Harper’s war ciety.” This as the Tories were putting plained: “Ukraine has an elected par- more Canadians are coming and was used to make accur- drive, and distracting from his own forward anti-choice Motion 312, which liament, an independent judiciary, and to the NDP position.” Julian ate predictions towards the policies, by suddenly claiming the Kenney (a long-time anti-choice activist) civil society organizations. Based on claims “we are missing a salmons’ survivability. Tories are friends of queers and supported. Bill C-31, it could be designated [safe], real opportunity in oil sands Scientists believe this refugees. Now Kenney is using hostility to and yet its parliament is considering a development,” but local re- genomic stress has been put A week after ending diplomatic rela- Iran as a cover for Tory policies against law banning speech or writing that pro- fining of tar sands crude is on the salmon because of ris- tions with Iran, Foreign Affairs Minister queers and refugees, and using support motes homosexuality, and neo-Nazis are no alternative to offshore ing water temperatures (both John Baird made a speech congratulat- for queer refugees to bolster Harper’s attacking LGBTQ people in the streets development. in rivers and ocean) and that ing Jason Kenney for “working to make drive to war—a war that would kill queer of Kiev.” All these anti-refugee policies No matter what happens to “salmon have died in greatest Canada a safe haven for Iran’s perse- Iranians and many others. provoked widespread opposition, so the the bitumen extracted from numbers in ‘hotspots’ along cuted gay community.” Kenney fol- The Tories have a long history of Tories are looking for a distraction by the tar sands, the extraction the river system, possibly as lowed this with an email to thousands of homophobia—including cutting funding whipping up war on Iran. process itself destroys the a result of poor oxygen avail- Canadians, stating, “We are proud of the to Pride Toronto, removing references to But Kenney’s hypocrisy is not going earth, poisons the local en- ability and disease.” Global emphasis our Conservative Government gay rights and same-sex marriage from unchallenged. An open letter in response vironment and spreads cancer warming is putting stress on has placed on gay and lesbian refugee the Citizenship manual for newcom- to his email explains that “Your most re- amongst nearby indigenous Pacific salmon faster than protection, which is without precedent in ers (public outrage forced Kenney to cent campaign is a poor attempt at ‘pink- communities. Whether the they can adapt to it. Canada’s immigration history…In par- restore the information), and opposing washing’ the Conserative government’s resulting tar sands are refined The International Council ticular, we have taken the lead in helping Bill C-279 that would put gender iden- obvious desire to encourage war with in BC or elsewhere, the re- for the Exploration of the gay refugees who have fled often violent tify and expression into the human rights Iran…We will also continue to stand in sulting carbon emissions are Sea (ICES) recently com- persecution in Iran.” code (Kenney voted against the bill). solidarity with ALL Iranian people by pushing us closer to climate pleted research on the five This is not the first time Kenney used The Tories also have a long history of opposing your government’s rush to in- catastrophe. Meanwhile, the types of wild salmon found in Islamophobia to distract from Tory big- attacking refugees—from demonizing vade and declare war on Iran.” billion dollar subsidies for the Pacific (Chinook, Chum, otry and other policies. On December Tamils during the last election campaign, Queers for Social Justice will join the inefficient job creators in the Coho, Sockeye, and Pink) 12, the day the Tories officially with- imposing Bill C-31 that attacks refugees, October 6 day of action against war on tar sands are diverting much and found that global climate drew from the Kyoto protocol on climate cutting refugee health care and deporting Iran, showing that the best way to sup- needed resources from ef- change has moved many of change, Kenney created a distraction by war resisters. Bill C-31’s list of suppos- port queer refugees is by stopping Harper ficient green jobs that create their spawning and travel banning women wearing the niqab from edly “safe” countries has been specific- and Kenney’s war abroad and at home. more employment while spar- patterns—which opens them ing the environment. up to new or increased preda- That’s why BC’s First tion, lower and different ac- BC public transit cutbacks threaten climate Nations are having none of cess to food, or they become ANNA ROIK it. According to Art Sterritt, a new food competitor for by ing depends on car use. Two major Unfortunately, despite increased de- of the Coastal First Nations another fish stock. THERE WAS little to cheer about sources of funding for transit are from mand for transit, decreased service and group, “The oil you’re going The problem is not isolat- after BC’s TransLink unveiled its fuel taxes and bridge toll revenue, with increased crowding tend to force people to be sending out there and ed to the Pacific Coast. The draft 2013 Base Plan for the Lower the third source being passenger fares. back to driving their cars. the quantity of ships and the United Nations Food and Mainland on September 17. As for cost-saving measures, At a time when arctic ice melt is at air quality you’re going to be Agriculture Organization Due to shrinking revenues, TransLink TransLink itself acknowledges that its greatest and climate change is a real- affecting in this geographic published a report with says it cannot expand transit in the rapid- these will negatively affect riders. With ity that cannot be ignored, we need to area are going to have the grim numbers for global ly growing region. Instead it will main- increasing numbers of people turning demand and fight for ways to reduce car same results as sending crude fish stocks. We have reached tain some levels of service, and scale to transit, this will mean that buses and dependency by giving growing urban oil offshore. I suggest that if “peak fish.” Over 52 per cent back others in what it calls “efficiencies.” trains will become even more crowded populations (like the Lower Mainland) you really want to do busi- of the world`s ocean is fully Ironically, much of TransLink’s fund- than they are now. transit options that meet their needs. ness in the north, you should exploited (which they define really be out there talking to as “the fishery is operating at First Nations before you start or close to an optimal yield making announcements.” level, with no expected room Parti Québécois: same old opportunism Respecting First Nations has for further expansion”). by JESSICA SQUIRES ition to the tax reforms and the nuclear last year. Their best hope of remaining never been Black’s strong Moreover, 17 per cent is plant closure. That’s somewhat ironic viable in the long term is to appeal to suit. He used his media overexploited and 7 per cent OUT OF the gate, Pauline Marois’ given CAQ also promised to eliminate younger voters, many of whom were in- muscle in the 1990s to op- is depleted, with only one per minority Parti Québécois (PQ) the health fee. CAQ is also cynically try- volved in the strike and who have pro- pose the Nisga’a treaty, in- cent being replenished from government seems set on tacking ing to position itself as the pro-worker gressive ideas on a range of other issues, structing his newspapers not depletion. This means that left. voice on that closure—while neglecting including the environment. to carry editorials supporting only 23 per cent of the ocean They announced the reversal of the tu- to mention their own campaign prom- Second, they are shoring up their own the treaty and instead publish- could withstand more stress ition fee increases that sparked months ise, which would have cut far more jobs base by announcing measures designed ing a series of essays oppos- placed upon it, a rate much of student strikes and demonstrations elsewhere in the energy sector. to appease their progressive members. ing the treaty. lower than fish are harvested. that brought down the Liberal govern- But there is also a more cynical reason Third, they are trying to recoup loss- “Job creation,” and calls Pacific salmon are some ment of Jean Charest and they repealed behind the announcements. es to their left, both in terms of actual for local refining of tar sands, of the most exploited fish the reactionary bludgeon law, Bill 78. The PQ Finance Minister is on record votes and in terms of political space, to is a provocative red herring— in this picture. Chinook and These two acts, huge victories for as supporting tax cuts for corporations. Québec solidaire and Option nationale. which ignores indigenous Coho Salmon are both ran- the student movement, were followed And Pauline Marois tried to unfreeze By tacking left now and testing the lim- sovereignty, ignores the in- ging from fully exploited to by announcements that the PQ wants tuition fees years ago when she was its of a minority, they can point to it later efficient job creation in the overexploited by over 28,000 to keep in place the student assistance Education Minister (the student strike and appeal for those voters to help them oil sector, and minimizes the a year. measures first offered by Charest as an of 1996 stopped her). The PQ is a neo- win a majority. threat of climate catastrophe. We live on a finite planet, alternative to eliminating the fee hike— liberal party. The only substantial differ- But those 400,000 or so votes will not but capitalism’s oil-addicted another victory for students and their ence between them and the Liberals is deliver that majority alone. At budget Socialist Worker and endless drive to profit supporters. Finally, they announced they their stand on the national question. time, it’s a safe bet we can expect them accumulation is depleting will close the only nuclear power facility So how can we explain the seeming to reveal their true colours by appealing e-mail: [email protected] web: www.socialist.ca the world of its resources. in Quebec and take a stand against shale anomaly? to the base of the Liberals and CAQ— phone: 416.972.6391 There are sustainable ways gas exploration (fracking). The answer lies in the fact that, de- corporations and the rich. to harvest fish from the sea, Then the PQ announced it wants to spite nine years of Liberal corruption The PQ needs to find a way to be All correspondence to: but only if we prioritize hu- roll back tax cuts for the rich in order and an unprecedented, no-holds-barred all things to all people—an impossible Socialist Worker man and environmental need. to eliminate the Health Care premium. campaign for strategic voting, the PQ task—if they are to win a majority gov- P.O. Box 339, Station E We must look critically about There is no question that these an- could only get 4 more seats than the ernment in the next election. And that Toronto, ON M6H 4E3 Published every four weeks in who decides what we eat, and nouncements are direct results of mass Liberals in the last election. Their days election will come sooner than later. Toronto by the International Socialists. look to alternatives to the mobilization by students, environment- are numbered if they can’t turn this Most expect it in 18 to 24 months. Printed in Hamilton at a union shop; mem- profit-driven over-exploita- alists, and the social movements of around. We should already be preparing for ber of the Canadian Magazine Publisher’s Association / Canadian Publications tion of the plants and animals Quebec. First, the PQ is watching demograph- the next struggles against the Quebec Mail Agreement No. 58554253-99, with whom we we share the There is already a backlash from the ics. They know their base is aging and government, with its new political Post Office Department, Ottawa / ISSN planet. right-wing CAQ and the Liberal oppos- they suffered a series of internal crises stripes, and also for the next election. 0836-7094 / Return postage guaranteed 2 Socialist Worker October 2012 INTERNATIONAL Harper paves way for war on Iran by NIAZ SALIMI IT WAS a matter of shock and disbelief for many Canadians to listen to Foreign Minister John Baird, on September 7 in Moscow, announcing full termination of diplomatic relations with Iran, complete with the closure of both embassies. The speed of such an unprecedented decision caused serious concerns at home and abroad. While many seasoned dip- lomats and Middle East ex- perts were scratching their heads and trying to make sense of this unpredicted and drastic action by the Harper government, it won immedi- ate support of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who praised Harper’s leader- ship and congratulated him for “sending a clear message to Iran.” While this message clearly Egypt: labour ‘reforms’ target strikes exposes the beneficiaries of this decision, many—includ- by JAMES CLARK September—the highest number that the Brotherhood is in power, it is other revolution—the same warnings ing the past two Canadian STRIKES AND labour protests this year. About a third were gen- seeking ways to contain the spread- he gave Mubarak when Egyptian Ambassadors to Iran—warned have spread across all sectors of eral demonstrations, but the rest ing strikes, and has turned to ETUF textile workers struck in 2006: “Back against the impact of it. John the Egyptian economy in recent were strikes or labour protests, and to play the same role it did under then, I said that social unrest quelled Mundy, who was expelled weeks, sparking fears among included factory workers, govern- Mubarak: enforce labour “peace” on by using force against striking work- from Iran in 2007, expressed Egypt’s business class and the ment employees, teachers, university Egyptian workers. According to re- ers might escalate one day to create his concern to the CBC about Muslim Brotherhood government. professors, hospital workers (doc- ports in the Egyptian media, ETUF a major fire that is impossible to put the possibility of a military In response, they are trying tors, nurses and technicians), transit is not opposed to a ban on strikes out.” attack; Michel de Salaberry, to push a labour “reform” that workers, street vendors, tour guides, because it believes that it could win The 2006 strike of roughly 27,000 in an interview with the would restrict the number of fishers, airline employees and airport “concessions” from the government. mainly women workers at the Misr Iranian-Canadian Community unions in any workplace and workers, police officers, and even a But the government has refused to Spinning and Weaving Company in Council, stressed that the sus- would impose a one-year ban on few imams. Professional-class work- implement the key demands of the El-Mahalla El-Kurba sparked a year- pension of diplomatic relations strikes. ers also struck, including lawyers movement, which are increasingly long strike wave that laid the founda- and the expulsion of Iranian Frustrated by the slow pace of and pharmacists. economic in nature. tion for the strikes that helped topple diplomats from Canada was change since the fall of Mubarak, As the number of strikes has in- These developments were a ma- Mubarak in February 2011. More not a wise decision and elim- workers are increasingly venting creased, so too has the confidence jor topic of discussion at a recent recently, Egyptian workers passed inates Canada’s ability of ef- their anger at work, and not just in of workers to form and defend in- conference of the Egyptian National another milestone when strikes fective engagement. the street. According to the Egyptian dependent unions—in contrast to Competitiveness Council, a pro-neo- shut down seven chemical factor- Predictably, this decision Center for Economic and Social the official, pro-Mubarak Egyptian liberal lobby group. Ahmed Hassan ies controlled by the military—the caused a huge debate within Rights, which tracks the country’s Trade Union Federation (ETUF), al-Borai, a corporate lawyer and first time that workers have directly the Iranian-Canadian com- social movements, at least 300 pro- which has acted as an arm of the former Mubarak cabinet minister, confronted the Egyptian Army’s eco- munity and some expressed tests took place in the first half of state since the days of Nasser. Now warned that strikes could spark an- nomic power. their support, mostly for the closure of the Iranian embassy ‘Statesman’ Harper pushes racism, war and militarism in Ottawa. However, while a KIMBERLY WINTER number of Iranian-Canadians by Powell in the white up of hatred to- “Appeal of Conscience Foundation.” Kenney has prejudiced their refu- are not willing or allowed to STEPHEN HARPER has replaced wards Iraq by using amateurish visual Immigration Minister Jason Kenney gee applications with Operational visit their home country, the George Bush on the world stage: aids to invent a threat justifying war. was awarded an honourary doctorate Bulletin 202 (labeling them “crim- majority of the over 300,000 whipping up Islamophobia, But the threat of war is real. from the University of Haifa. inally inadmissible”), and ignored members of this community escalating militarism, and War ships carrying hundreds of This is part of Harper’s militar- Parliamentary motions and public have reasons to be concerned supporting war—with Iran aircraft are amassed in the Strait ism. Under the Canada First Defence support by issuing a deportation and oppose this decision. replacing Iraq as the new “evil” of Hormuz. War games—“training Strategy (CFDS), he will spend $490 order for war resister Kim Rivera. Baird advised Canadians possessing mythical nuclear exercises”—have been taking place billion on the military over the next On September 20, Kim presented to avoid travelling to Iran due weapons. for months, and there is concern an 15 years. Much is being poured into herself voluntarily at the US bor- to safety issues, but this will As the National Post reported: attack on Iran could occur as early military hardware, training and glori- der and was immediately arrested; harm tens of thousands of “The United States, European allies as November, after the US election. fying past wars, such as the War of when announced in Parliament, Iranian-Canadians with im- and even Israel generally agree on Harper’s support for the new war 1812. The front page of the CFDS the Conservative caucus erupted in mediate family in Iran. three things about Iran’s nuclear pro- drive is part of a broader agenda of website states: “this strengthened applause. Over the past two weeks gram: Tehran does not have a bomb, militarism. military will translate into enhanced We will never have security as the Harper government and has not decided to build one, and is Recently, Minister of Foreign security for Canadians at home as long as our government feeds us especially Baird got very cre- probably years away from having a Affairs John Baird announced the well as a stronger voice for Canada hatred and drives us to war. We need ative and started providing deliverable nuclear warhead. Those end of Canada’s diplomatic ties with on the world stage.” to work to disarm, end subsidies to new reasons for their actions. conclusions [were] drawn from ex- Iran, closed the Canadian embassy But little is dedicated to assist veter- the nuclear and fossil fuel industries, In a meeting on September tensive interviews with current and in Tehran and expelled Iranian dip- ans returning home from Afghanistan and create good green jobs. We need 18 with a small group of former U.S. and European officials lomats in Ottawa. with debilitating post-traumatic stress to organize tirelessly now—as we did handpicked members of the with access to intelligence on Iran.” For such uncompromising support disorder and physical injuries, and in 2002 and 2003—to galvanize pub- Iranian-Canadian community, Yet Israeli Prime Minister for Israel, Harper skipped the UN the Harper government has criminal- lic opinion against another war based Harper claimed that the main Benjamin Netanyahu, at the UN and collected a “World Statesman ized US Iraq War resisters. on misinformation and grounded in reason for severing diplomatic on September 28, mimicked Colin of the Year” award from the Zionist Immigration Minister Jason racism. relationship with Iran was the regime’s gross human rights violations. Thousands march against Western-backed regime in Bahrain Harper assured the group by YUSUR AL BAHRANI in Bahrain in February 2011, the Demonstrators demanded the im- with brutal attacks and arbitrary ar- that from now on the Canadian regime has been inciting sectarian- mediate and unconditional release rests. Systematic oppression, arbi- government will pay more Tens of thousands marched in ism but it has never been successful. of all political prisoners, including trary arrests, and attacks on peaceful attention to the issue of hu- the first major protest in months Shias and Sunnis united together in the President of Bahrain Centre protestors continue despite the UN man rights in Iran and will in- in Bahrain. Pro-democracy the same protest proving the failure for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, Human Rights Council meeting in crease their efforts in support protesters chanted anti-regime of the government in portraying and human rights activist, Zainab Geneva and Bahraini government’s of Iranian people. But how slogans and demanded the the revolution as a sectarian one. Al-Khawajah. promise to implement reforms. The can you have any relevance release of all political prisoners. The different opposition groups, Protesters also demanded the Bahraini Foreign Minister denied to the situation after you shut The protest on August 31 was including Waad (representing the release of all children detained for having any political prisoners in down all the gates of negotia- significant. Bahrainis from different Bahraini left), Wefaq and other par- political reasons. According to re- Bahrain. tion, leaving only a military religious and political backgrounds ties, marched together united. cent reports, there are more than The revolution in Bahrain has solution? proved that the power of people is One of the photos shows Shiekh 70 children, aged 12-17 years, in received the least global attention It’s clear that Harper’s con- stronger than the systematic oppres- Ali Salman, a Shia cleric and leader Bahraini prisons. In addition, pro- compared to its neighboring revolts cern is not the people of Iran sion of the Al-Khalifa regime and its of Wefaq, marching with and hold- testers demanded an end to the on- in the Arab region. Bahrain is home but a war against them, and the allies. Opposition groups and parties ing the hand of the well-known going repression, attacks and arbi- to the US Fifth Fleet. US and other best way to help people in Iran were present during the massive Sunni activist Mohamed Alboflasa. trary arrests. imperialist governments continue to is to stop the war. October 6 is protest as well as ordinary people, The demands of protesters varied On consecutive Fridays, Bahraini supply the Bahraini and Saudi gov- a pan-Canadian day of action including children. from reforms to the fall of the re- activists also marched to Manama. ernments with arms used to attack against the war on Iran. For more information, please visit Since the start of the revolution gime, but all of them were united. However, the regime responded protestors. www.acp-cpa.ca

October 2012 Socialist Worker 3 TALKING MARXISM Abbie Bakan INTERNATIONAL The Comintern and the ‘Black question’

The Communist International (Comintern) Fourth Congress, meeting in 1922, prefigured many discussions regarding international solidarity and activism that will be familiar to socialists today. One such discussion focused on anti-racist politics, in particular regarding African-American experiences in the United States. In John Riddell’s recent translation of the Fourth Congress proceedings, Toward the United Front, the events surround- ing the discussion of “the Black question” are presented, with helpful annotations for the contemporary reader. The presentation by Otto Huiswoud (also known as Billings)—a delegate to the Comintern from the US—is par- ticularly compelling. His comments were reflective of his lifelong commitment to socialism and black liberation. John Riddell’s biographical notes help to set the scene. Generations Huiswoud’s activism spanned the generations from the Comintern to the civil rights era. Born in Suriname in 1893, Huiswoud moved to New York in 1910. In 1919, he became one of the founding members of the American Communist Party. Before his death in 1961, he would serve the move- ment as editor of the US publication Negro Worker, help to lead the American Negro Labor Congress, and meet to discuss politics of the day with those such as VI Lenin, Aimé Césaire, Franz Fanon and Richard Wright. At the time of the Fourth Congress, Huiswoud was encour- aged by the potential of the Comintern to address issues of South African miners win as strikes spread racism in connection with colonialism and imperialism. He by JOHN BELL mining sector remains idled, and strikes The South African miners were not reminded delegates of the historic break with the reform- have spread to 20,000 road freight just taking on their own bosses. Their ist Second International, recalling earlier statements that the AFTER MORE than a month on workers demanding a 12 per cent wage struggle reveals a huge rift between “Second International is an International of white workers wildcat strike, platinum miners increase. workers and the ANC government led and the Communist International is an International of the have won a 22 per cent raise plus As the South African Transport and by president Jacob Zuma. workers of the world.” a $245(US) bonus to cover lost Allied Workers Union said, “We intend As well, they are breaking from But the bulk of Huiswoud’s comments were cautious, wages—said to be the largest wage to ignite further sympathy and solidar- the National Union of Mineworkers aware of the lack of knowledge among the majority of increase in South African history. ity strikes from our members in sectors (NUM), which is too closely associated Comintern delegates. He emphasized that “[t]he Black ques- The cost was high. Last month po- such as maritime and freight rail in an with the governing ANC. NUM leaders tion is another part of the racial and colonial question, and it lice massacred 34 strikers and injured effort to ensure that no goods and par- have tried to end the strikes all along, has until now not received any special attention.” another 78. Right up to the eve of the cels move till the road freight workers’ driving more and more angry miners to And he appealed to delegates to take seriously the settlement miners stood up against demands are fully met.” turn to independent organization that Comintern’s formal commitment to carrying on socialist or- brutal police repression as their mass The corporate world is rattled. “The really represents their interests. ganizing among black workers internationally, “not merely meetings and marches were met with end of the Lonmin strike is something In a recent Socialist Worker (UK), as a New Year’s resolution but as work to be carried out in rubber bullets and armoured cars, and we should all cheer, but how the dispute Ken Olende writes: “Some 15,000 gold reality and in action.” their homes were ransacked by armed has been settled may provide a template miners are still on unofficial strike at company guards. for workers to use elsewhere. That’s KDC West mine. The NUM sent offi- Race and class The strike began against British min- the contagion threat,” a columnist for cials to try to convince them to return Huiswoud’s report to the Fourth Congress stressed the ne- ing corporation Lonmin but spread to Business Day wrote. to work. cessity of avoiding economic reductionism in considering other platinum mining companies, and That “contagion” couldn’t come at “As they approached a workers’ mass anti-racist organizing. to the gold mining sector. As we go to a better time, as international corpor- meeting, union officials were met with The relationship between race and class, a question that press, Forbes magazine reports that up ate powers are scrambling to gobble up cries of ‘Voetsek! Fokof!’ (Go! Fuck continues to animate Marxist theorizing today, demanded an to 39 per cent of South Africa’s gold Africa’s resource extraction sector. off!)” understanding of history, and of divisions as well as unifying factors in the working class. “As is generally known, the question of race, based as it Victorious Chicago teachers’ strike is on prejudice arising from the class prejudices of specific by LEE SUSTAR groups in society, still plays an important role. It is true that And the excitement wasn’t limited to But the CTU refused to roll over for in the United States, for example, the competition between IT’S TIME to take stock of the the big protests. Anyone who walked the Rahm. The union began organizing for Black and white workers is the main source of racial hatred. significance of the Chicago picket lines at neighborhood schools ex- a confrontation long before negotia- But we must not forget that the Blacks still bear the mark teachers’ strike that beat back perienced not just the impressive solidar- tions began, much less picket signs were of bondage stemming from the time of slavery. For this rea- corporate education reform—not ity among teachers, but the groundswell printed. son we find that the particular antagonism of white workers just for teachers and other public- of support for the CTU among parents When Emanuel and his handpicked against Black workers takes a special form.” sector workers, but the wider labour and the wider community. Those wear- school board targeted 17 schools for Huiswoud stressed the role of consciousness, emphasizing movement. ing a red T-shirt from the CTU or the closure or “turnaround” earlier this year, what he termed “the psychological aspects of the question.” But before considering its impact on Chicago Teachers Solidarity Campaign the CTU joined parents and community He condemned the legacy of overt racism in some of the future fights, let’s take another moment were routinely stopped and thanked on activists in a grassroots mobilization to leading US trade unions, which established as “a condition of to savour a labour victory in one of the the street, while getting friendly honks save the schools. This helped solidify membership that each white brother will recruit other white most important union struggles in many and waves from passing cars. connections with groups that could pro- workers.” This had the effect of ensuring that “Blacks will years. The more support grew for the teach- vide critical support during the walkout. always remain outside the union, simply because they are There was the unforgettable Day One, ers, the more Rahm Emanuel unraveled. Meanwhile, the union leadership–mem- Black.” The consequences were dire, as black workers could when tens of thousands of red-shirted The man known for his take-no-pris- bers of a rank-and-file opposition cau- be hired by anti-union employers to cross picket lines of members of the Chicago Teachers oners approach to politics did his best cus who defeated old guard officials in white workers. As Huiswoud implored: “We can advance Union (CTU) and supporters swarmed to whip up a parent backlash with hour- 2010–campaigned systematically to in- all the fine theoretical formulations that we have at hand, downtown, shutting down traffic around long press conferences during the open- volve members throughout the system. but yet in the daily struggle there are some harsh and stub- the Board of Education headquarters ing days of the strike. It didn’t work. All this paid off in a contract that held born facts.” and City Hall in what a local radio news Sweaty and compulsively gulping from the line against Emanuel’s aggressive reporter aptly called “an older and more a plastic water bottle, Emanuel’s insult- demands. While the CTU had to take a US South polite version of Occupy Chicago.” ing comments seemed only to inspire painful concession in reduced compen- One of the most significant parts of Huiswoud’s report ad- In truth, it wasn’t all that polite either, more public support for the CTU. sation for laid-off teachers, the mayor dressed the conditions of the US South. if you happened to read the handmade By the time the mayor sought a court failed to make a breakthrough on the “The Blacks sense the approach of a crisis that will break placards and hear the chants directed at injunction to end the strike as the walk- issues that were most important to him, out between whites and Blacks in the South. The seeds have Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who began tar- out entered its second week, a judge such as imposition of merit pay, heavier been sown in the South and they must sprout up there in geting Chicago teachers months before put a finger to the political winds and use of student test scores to evaluate some form. It is likely that the crisis will take the form of he took office. decided not to act until CTU delegates teachers and fast-track terminations of race baiting on a vast scale.” Then Day Two—another day, an- could meet and discuss the deal. teachers with low ratings. Huiswoud strived to paint a picture of the concrete realities other mass march. After picket duty The details of the agreement have Emanuel also had to agree that half of early twentieth century racism to his Comintern comrades, at schools in every neighborhood of been reported fully elsewhere. But it of new teachers hired anywhere in the explaining that the South is “almost a separate country,” and the city in the morning, teachers again bears repeating that business publica- system would have to come from a pool compared it to Dante’s inferno. He continued: “The [racial] swept downtown, this time turning state- tions like the Wall Street Journal are of laid-off CTU members—something division is kept very sharp, and Blacks are robbed of their ly Buckingham Fountain on the lake- clear about who won this battle: The he’d adamantly and repeatedly opposed. right to vote.…This is where you find lynching and racial front into the site of an open-air union CTU, not Emanuel. Then there’s the fine print of the con- uprisings. You see that in the South, the lynching of a Black rally that conjured the spirit of famous As White House chief of staff for tract that gives the CTU new leverage is the occasion for enjoyment, as it is elsewhere to go to the Chicago labour battles of the past. Barack Obama, Emanuel helped accel- in key areas, including an anti-bullying cinema. When you grasp that the white population of the The following day came the three big erate school reform through the Obama provision to help members stand up to South is so imbued by this notion of white domination of demonstrations at high schools on the administration’s Race to the Top pro- abusive principals. the Blacks, you will also understand that we must take up South and West Sides, in neighborhoods gram. From the moment he opened his Those are not only big wins for the this question.” populated predominately by African campaign to become mayor, Emanuel CTU, but for teachers everywhere who Otto Huiswoud anticipated both the racist violence and Americans and Latinos. The hot late- made it clear that he intended to run are opposed to their unions’ retreats on the revolts of black workers in years to follow, not least the summer sun didn’t deter teachers or Chicago schools on the corporate mod- critical questions. This article was originally printed in Socialist civil rights movement decades later. He is just one of many neighbourhood residents who cheered el—and Chicago teachers would have to Worker (US). Visit, socialistworker.org nearly forgotten socialists, whose contributions are brought them on. submit or else. to life in Toward the United Front. 4 Socialist Worker October 2012 Capitalism creates climate chaos Contrary to popular misconceptions, Marx and Engels had plenty to say about ecology, and some contemporary Marxists have continued in this tradition. Bradley Hughes looks at how these ideas lay the blame for environmental degradation and climate change where it belongs—at the feet of the capitalist system. ver the last 10,000 years our planet has had a very nearly idyllic cli- Omate with few extreme weather events. Capitalism’s drive to profit is undermining the planet and the climate on which we as a species depend, but a better world is possible. In an article in the August 6 edi- tion of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, climate sci- entist James Hansen looked at world-wide weather data from 1951 to 1980 and compared it to more recent data. He concluded that between 1951 and 1980 in any given summer, extremely hot sum- mers would occur over about 0.1 per cent of the world’s land area. Now we live in a climate where extreme summers occur over around 10 per cent of the world’s land. Due to climate change 75 per cent of our summers will be hotter than the old average. We are seeing extreme weather events all around us—from the drought that covered over half the US this year, the increased strength of typhoons and hurricanes, the larger and more frequent forest fires, floods and snow storms. These changes—which threaten the planet and all life that depends on it—are an inevitable result of an economy based on competition for profit. have more time for social activities ent elements consumed in the form greenhouse effect gets greater and Treadmill of and leisure. Instead this increased of food and clothing; it therefore greater and the planet is getting production mechanization leads only to in- violates the conditions necessary warmer. Capitalism is based on the tread- creases in production—like the 73 to lasting fertility of the soil…All We have plentiful amounts of mill of production. Think of a million new cars produced each progress in capitalist agriculture is wind, solar and geothermal energy, treadmill at your local gym only year. a progress in the art, not only of and we have the technology to cap- with the controls speeding up the If any capitalist, or any nation, robbing the worker, but of robbing ture them, but capitalism gets in belt. You need to run faster and restricts their profits in order to the soil; all progress in increasing between our needs and our abilities faster just to stay in one place. consider waste, or pollution or the the fertility of the soil for a given and produces this carbon rift. If you slow down, or just stay at health of their workers, they are time is a progress towards ruining the same speed, you will be swept at a disadvantage, and will lose the more long-lasting sources of Ecological revolution away. This is a metaphor for how profits to those that don’t. This is that fertility. Capitalist produc- The real climate crisis is the con- capitalism operates. why no political party in Canada tion, therefore, develops technol- tinued existence of an archaic eco- Capitalism is made up of busi- has suggested shutting down the ogy…only by sapping the original nomic system that can’t meet our nesses competing for profit. Large tar sands, or put forward a plan to sources of all wealth—the soil and needs, and is ruining our climate. businesses, that provide most of deal with green house gases that the worker.” But a better, ecological world is our products and services, must will reduce Canada’s emissions possible—not through consumer- try to take a larger market share to the level that might allow us to Carbon rift ism or reformist parties that tinker every year, if only just to keep avert a catastrophe. John Bellamy Foster has writ- with the market, but through rad- making profit from their current ten extensively on Marx’s theory ically changing our relationship investment. Therefore they need Metabolic rift of the metabolic rift, and has ex- with nature by radically democra- to sell more and make more profit Marx argued that humans are not tended it to explain how modern tizing the economy. The weakness every year. This means trying to separate from nature, we are a part capitalism produces a carbon rift. of capitalism’s war on nature is sell more than their competitors, of it. We breath in and eat, and In order to extract the most that it requires the labour of work- but it also means trying to increase breath out and excrete. Our bod- labour and hence profit from ing people who would be much the total market, and even creating ies are entwined in this way with workers, capitalism relies on the better off restoring their collective new needs. the world around us. Through our factory system, initially powered metabolic relationship with nature In the process, capitalism treats metabolism we are connected to by wind and water. The treadmill than continuing to be exploited by nature only as a source of raw the external world, so much so of production requires a constant an ecocidal system. materials and a place to discard that Marx referred to nature as our search for more reliable, portable As Engels wrote in The Dialetics wastes. As Marx wrote, “For the external body. and cheaper sources of power. This of Nature, “We by no means rule first time, nature becomes purely But capitalism severs this led to the invention of steam power over nature like a conqueror over an object for humankind, purely a metabolic relationship, creating a in the early 1800s, fueled first by a foreign people, like someone matter of utility, it ceases to be rec- metabolic rift. Capitalism drove, wood and then by coal. Now it also standing outside nature—but that ognized as a power for itself, and These changes, and continues to drive, people off includes the other fossil fuels, nat- we, with flesh, blood, and brain, the theoretical discovery of it au- the land and into cities to work ural gas, gasoline, and oil—includ- belong to nature, and exist in its tonomous laws is merely a ruse so which threaten as labourers in the production of ing tar sands. midst, and that all our mastery of as to subject it under human needs, commodities. As a consequence, This means that we have aban- it consists in the fact that we have whether as an object of consump- the planet capitalist agriculture depletes the doned the currently available the advantage over all other beings tion or as a means of production.” soil to fuel the cities, the waste pol- forms of natural energy, wind and of being able to know and correctly This is not due to people’s desire and all life lutes the water instead of returning water and now also solar and geo- apply its laws…We are more and for goods—in fact, people’s inabil- to the soil, and the soil fertility is thermal. In lieu of those, we are more getting to know, and hence ity to consume all that capitalism that depends only maintained by artificial fer- harvesting the sun’s energy that to control, even the more remote produces contributes to periodic tilizers that contribute to pollution was absorbed in plants over mil- natural consequences at least of economic crises—but because on it, are an while prolonging the rift. lions of years and eventually con- our more ordinary productive ac- each business must make more This happens not because it’s verted into fossil fuels. Each year tivities. The more this happens, the next year than it did this year, just inevitable the most rational way, or most hu- we use up thousands of years of more will humans not only feel, to stay afloat. mane way to farm, but because it stored solar energy that will never but also know, their unity with na- Competition leads to improve- result of an is the best way to make profit for be replenished. As we burn these ture…To carry out this control re- ments in manufacturing that make the 1%—which undermines nature fuels, they release air pollution, quires something more than mere it possible for fewer and fewer economy based and humanity. As Marx wrote, and green house gases—mainly knowledge. It requires a complete people to make more and more “Capitalist production…disturbs carbon dioxide. This carbon di- revolution in our hitherto existing stuff. This could be cause for re- on competition the metabolic interaction between oxide is much more than can be mode of production, and with it joicing—we could make the work- humans and the earth, i.e. prevents absorbed in forests, the ocean of our whole contemporary social day shorter, make work easier, and for profit. the return to the soil of its constitu- and other carbon sinks, and so the order.”

October 2012 Socialist Worker 5 and immigrant women’s organizations in the campaign. We understood that, without the active participation and the support of thou- sands, no change would occur. The goal was to build a visible, mass movement that fought together for women’s reproductive freedom. Collective victory How we won When the Supreme Court finally overturned the existing abortion law, it was through the strength of a broad and representative move- ment. It was a collective victory in which tens of thousands played an active role. The fact that OCAC understood that the state was not neutral—and was not acting in the interests of women—was critical to the success of our campaign. We believed that only a mass move- ment could change the balance of forces in the interest of all women. There was a spontaneous demonstra- abortion rights tion of thousands of supporters outside the Morgentaler Clinic when the decision of the Supreme Court was announced. Women and men were dancing in the street! Similar rallies While the Harper government claims to not be reopening the abortion debate there have erupted across the country. Freestanding clinics were legalized in Ontario, fully covered by the been increasing attacks on the right to choose; therefore, a renewed defense of these healthcare system, and clinics began to open in other parts of the country as well. Carolyn Egan It did not take long before the Conservative hard-won rights is required. recounts the fight for reproductive justice. government in Ottawa began the process of introducing new legislation recriminalizing abortion. Because of the strong roots that had been developed, a major campaign against a new law was launched. There was wide support from groups such as the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women, the Canadian Labour Congress, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Federation des Femmes du Quebec, the United Church of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, AIDS Action Now!, and a large range of The Tory anti-choice record Jason Kenney: provincial and local organizations across the by AYESHA ADHAMI country. There were national days of action defeated in Parliament. However, PPF Canada’s and large numbers came out into the streets. DESPITE Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s 2010 application for funding remains ignored. anti-choice Tragically, during this period, a young woman repeated assertions that he will not re-open 2011: Bev Oda announces PPF Canada’s in Toronto died of a self-induced abortion be- the abortion debate, the record of his funding renewed, but only for work in countries cause she believed a legal procedure was not government in power shows a stealthy and where abortion is illegal, thus de-funding the henchman available. determined effort to do just that. agency’s abortion services. One of the leading opponents to a During the campaign against the new law Here is just a brief summary of the Tory attack 2012: The most blatant attack on pro-choice woman’s right to choose in Harper’s and for increased access, anti-choice forces on choice in recent years. rights yet comes in April when Kitchener- cabinet is Minister of Citizenship and began another assault. “Operation Rescue,” as 2008: Bill C-484 is introduced in Parliament, Waterloo Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth Immigration, Jason Kenney. they called it, started in Toronto in the fall of proposing to criminalize the murder of a preg- launches private member’s Motion 312, challen- Long before he entered Parliament, Kenney 1988 and attempted to blockade the entrance nant woman by charging the accused with two ging the Criminal Code’s definition of when life had campaigned widely to restrict choice. As to the Morgentaler Clinic. They physically and counts of murder, thus defining the fetus as a begins. The effort rallies the vociferous support a student at the University of San Francisco verbally harassed women seeking abortions. “person.” The bill is defeated. of—among others—Harper’s lead henchman, in 1990, Kenney objected to the right of pro- 2009: Saskatchewan Tory MP Brad Trost in- Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, who touts choice students to distribute information about Clinic defence itiates a Parliamentary petition to de-fund the a long and loud history of attacking pro-choice abortion on campus. When the administration OCAC organized defence of the clinics, re- International Planned Parenthood Federation rights. The PM also opens the floodgates, hand- refused to ban them, Kenney launched a peti- jecting the argument that it should be left to the (PPF), arguing against its promotion of abortion ing Conservatives a free vote so they may “vote tion to the Archbishop of San Francisco to re- police to protect the facilities. We would link as an international human right. PPF Canada’s with their conscience.” The motion was defeated voke the university’s right to describe itself as arms, chanting, “Racist, sexist, anti-gay: born- applications for funding renewal go unanswered 203-91, with several Liberals voting in favour. “Catholic.” again bigots, go away” and “Campaign Life: for the remainder of the year. Pro-choice activists across the country have His petition even equated support for choice your name’s a lie. You don’t care if women 2010: An ambitious year for Harper’s anti- challenged these attacks since they began, for the and gay rights with racism: “Organizations die!” These chants reflected the politics of the choice lobby: most part holding them at bay. This is largely due whose objectives are antithetical to the gospel, campaign. The broad support created the pol- In June, then-Minister for International to the support of the majority of Canadians who including racist, pro-abortion, and homosexual itical pressure to defeat the legislation in the Cooperation Bev Oda announces Canada’s G8 continue to see abortion as an issue of personal groups, could soon be using facilities and re- Senate in 1991, after it narrowly passed in the Child and Maternal Health Initiative will not choice rather than legislation. sources that have been consecrated to the pro- House of Commons. include funding for abortion services, thus ex- However, it is clear that, as long as the motion of justice and human dignity.” There are now over 30 freestanding clinics panding the government’s anti-choice agenda to Conservatives remain in power, pro-choice rights One of the closest MPs to Harper, Kenney providing funded abortions across the country. women on a global scale. will have to be repeatedly defended. This mes- backed Stephen Woodworth’s private mem- Access is much wider than when the campaign Later that year, Conservative Winnipeg MP sage continues to spread widely by email, letter- ber’s bill to “study” the point at which a fetus began in the early 1980s and sexual health ser- Rod Bruinooge proposes Bill C-510, “Roxanne’s writing and phone campaigns, as well as attend- becomes a person—the most recent attempt vices are more widely available, but the fight Law,” in response to a young woman’s murder ance at pro-choice rallies across the country. by the Tories to recriminalize abortion. The for reproductive justice is far from over. Prince by her boyfriend for refusing to have an abor- Next stop: October 20, all out for a pan-Can- support of such a high-profile minister for Edward Island is still forcing women to go to tion. Rather than focusing on protecting women adian day of action to demand “Reproductive Woodworth’s motion undermines Harper’s the mainland to access abortions, and New against domestic violence, Bill C-510 proposes Justice! Equal Access Now!” claim this his government will not re-open the For updates, visit the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada: Brunswick refuses to fund clinic procedures. penalizing anyone who “coerces” a woman into www.arcc-cdac.ca abortion debate in Canada. Hospital amalgamations and healthcare cuts are ending her pregnancy against her will. The bill is reducing reproductive services in many areas. Women are still being harassed as they enter clinics. The Conservative government initially re- fused to fund International Planned Parenthood and now gives money on the condition that it be allocated only in countries where abortion major victory was won when the province of Quebec where CLSCs (commun- jobs, paid parental leave, childcare, the right to Arrests is illegal. There is no national childcare pro- Supreme Court of Canada overturned ity health centres) and the Centre de santé des live freely and openly regardless of their sexu- It did not take long before the police raided gram, equal pay for work of equal value is still the federal abortion law in January of femmes (women’s health centre) were provid- ality, employment equity, an end to forced or the facility, seized the medical equipment, and a dream for many, employment equity has not A1988. The campaign was situated in ing abortions to women in their own commun- coerced sterilization, and, of course, full access arrested Drs. Morgentaler, Scott and Smoling. been implemented, systemic discrimination the broader context of reproductive freedom. ities. A lesson was learned from our sisters in to free abortion. All were required if women This was not unexpected and OCAC had been still exists and many of the other services ne- Abortion rights were seen as one of a num- Quebec and we modelled our campaign after were to have reproductive freedom. building broad support. We knew we were go- cessary for women to have real choices in their ber of demands that the women’s movement theirs. The strategy was the combination of a OCAC tried to ensure that the demand for ing to be in a long, drawn-out campaign. We lives are not in place. Private members’ bills was struggling for in the fight for reproductive doctor willing to challenge the law and a broad abortion access was never seen in isolation, but had to change the balance of power in the coun- are regularly being introduced in the House rights for all. and representative movement willing to fight as one of a number of interdependent strug- try, and while the issue had to be in the courts of Commons to create barriers for women. To Before the law was struck down, there was for the necessary changes. gles. We tried to make this concrete by chal- because of the arrests, the critical task was mo- date, all have been defeated. access to abortion, but it was a very privileged OCAC has always been a grassroots, ac- lenging the coerced sterilization that Aboriginal bilizing the strong support that we knew existed access. In 1969, legislation had been passed tivist organization. The immediate objectives women, women with disabilities and Black for women’s reproductive rights. Tactics which allowed abortions to be performed if were to overturn the federal law and to legal- women were facing. We held joint forums on OCAC took a mass action approach. We did Support for reproductive justice is still very they took place in an approved or accredited ize freestanding clinics providing medically the issues with women speaking about the in- not leave the campaign to the lawyers or to strong across the country. While the overall hospital with the consent of a therapeutic abor- insured abortions. We were fully aware of the justices that they were experiencing. Healthcare the lobbying of politicians. We believed that strategic situation has changed and will always tion committee. There was uneven interpreta- limits of the notion of “choice.” Full access to workers told us that therapeutic abortion com- tens of thousands of women and men would change, the lessons of the campaign that was tion of the law across the country and many free abortion, as significant an advance as that mittees sometimes refused abortions unless a come into the streets across the country to fight waged still remain relevant. The principles and hospitals did not establish committees. The law would be, does not guarantee that all women woman agreed to be sterilized. We fought for for women’s reproductive freedom. Groups tactics that were used created a broad-based was unjust and denied women the right to make have choices over their lives or over having or childcare as a woman’s right and campaigned took up the cause in every province and the movement for reproductive rights, which over- decisions over their reproductive health. raising children. The definition of “choice” was against extra billing by doctors. Canadian Abortion Rights Action League turned the federal abortion law and created a broadened in our organizing. OCAC worked with Dr. Henry Morgentaler (CARAL) fought side by side with us. network of clinics making abortion much more OCAC and in 1983 he opened a clinic challenging In linking struggles, OCAC was able to accessible for women who were previously The Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinics Pro-choice the federal criminal code. The clinic became a build a wide campaign through demonstra- denied. (OCAC) was formed in 1982. The group OCAC stated that for all women to have real symbol of women’s resistance to an unjust law. tions, marches and rallies—in which thousands This article is excerpted from “Reproductive Rights and thought long and hard about how best to change choices in our society they require safe and A long campaign against two levels of govern- participated. Through our organizing, we were the Campaign to Overturn the Federal Abortion Law”, an increasingly desperate situation for so many effective birth control services in their own ment and an organized anti-choice movement able to broaden the participation of trade union- which will be published in a forthcoming anthology edited women. We looked at the circumstances in the languages and their own communities, decent began. ists, students, AIDS activists, people of colour by Shannon Stettner.

6 Socialist Worker October 2012 October 2012 Socialist Worker 7 OPINION NDP From opposition to equivocation WHEN Jack Layton ran for NDP leader in 2003, a central plank in his campaign was opposition to the looming war in Iraq. During every media interview, Layton spoke out against the war, and promoted the historic February 15 protests that helped keep Canada out of Iraq. NDP leader Thomas Mulcair recently backed Harper’s decision to cut ties with Iran, a move that could quickly lead to war. Mulcair is a well-known supporter of Israel, but after becom- ing NDP leader he seemed to temper his position, saying his priority was to “work hard for peace” and that Iran is “a very shaky regime, but the best way to make people coalesce and support a regime is to attack it.” Despite these words, Mulcair supports sanctions, which are almost always the first step to war, as the Iraq War shows. Now he is equivocating on the second step: ending diplomatic rela- tions. After foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar called Harper’s move “bad diplomacy,” Mulcair backtracked, stating: “It’s also becoming increasingly clear that there were serious concerns, we don’t have the same information but it would appear that there might be some very solid information that would have led the government to that decision, so until we have that informa- tion it’s hard to comment further.” This shift in the NDP’s position is not just the result of a dif- ferent leader; it reflects the party’s rightward drift that continues to separate it from the movements that gave it strength. In 2002, the NDP’s original position on Iraq was to oppose war—unless the UN supported it. But the growing anti-war mo- bilization of late 2002 and early 2003 pushed the party to adopt the movement’s central demand: “With or without the UN, don’t attack Iraq!” With only a handful of seats in Parliament at the time, the NDP nevertheless provided a megaphone for the mass demonstrations underway from coast to coast. The effect was to split the Liberals down the middle and to force the Chrétien government to stay out of the war. In the next election, a million more people voted for the NDP. The same kind of pressure from the anti-war movement won the NDP to its “troops out now” position on Afghanistan in 2006. Quebec students stop tuition Despite the support the NDP has attracted from movements in the street, on the campus, or in the workplace, the party has vacillated between supporting them and subordinating them to its parliamentary politics. During negotiations to form a coali- hike and topple government tion government with the Liberals in 2008, the NDP was wiling DEBORAH MURRAY to abandon its opposition to the war in Afghanistan and cor- by Even if disappointed that the Liberals QS’s internationalist approach to in- porate tax cuts. Ironically, the “orange wave” that catapulted THE HISTORIC Quebec student won official opposition, voters had dependence, sensitive to the needs of the NDP into the Official Opposition, and which was based on strike won all its demands and felt uneasy with the Coalition for the other language and cultural groups and the perception that an NDP government would bring the troops more. Future of Quebec (CAQ), a right- a proposed democratic constituent as- home and tax the rich, has only increased this vacillation. They built a mass student movement wing mix of Canadian federalists and sembly process, seems to be opening For example, while the NDP led an impressive filibuster in against the tuition hike, and broadened Quebec separatists that formed a year up Anglophones to a new view on the Parliament to back locked-out postal workers, it then unani- it with links to the labour movement ago. CAQ came in third with 19 seats. national question. mously supported the NATO-led war on Libya. As the 2015 and the environmental movement. The Liberals have no power and the PQ Tragically, during Pauline Marois’ election approaches, the logic of electoralism will increasingly When Premier Charest attacked them must court the CAQ to pass anything victory speech the night of the election, prevail over the needs of the movements. This helps explain with Bill 78, students broadened their through the assembly if they survive a an English-speaking man shot three Mulcair’s equivocation on Iran, essentially backing the govern- protest to include all those who wanted non-confidence vote and another elec- people, one fatally, at the PQ gather- ment’s latest move. to defend civil liberties. tion is not called. ing. Anglophones and Francophones Sadly, although the NDP is much larger than it was in 2003, it Through the process, the Quebec stu- united at a vigil held the next night out- is playing a significantly smaller role on the anti-war front. But dent strike chanelled people’s growing Québec solidaire side the venue where a sound techni- this can change. October 6 will be a day of action against war on anger wtih government corruption, de- While the other parties in the media cian was killed. This amazing response Iran, which can be a launching pad for re-building the anti-war clining social services, and the demon- overshadowed the left-wing Québec spoke volumes about the solidarity the movement and winning the NDP to a principled anti-war pos- ization of student protesters and the solidaire (QS), their presence on the two language groups achieved through- ition. Harper has a long history of backing Israeli wars—from criminalization of dissent. political scene grew significantly. out the student strike and election. To Lebanon in 2006 to Gaza in 2009—and has not ruled out sup- The Quebec Spring not only stopped QS fought for a place in the RDI prevent the media from playing up ten- port for an Israeli-led strike against Iran. We need an Opposition the tuition hike and reversed Bill 78, it televised debate for Françoise David sions between the French and English, that will oppose any attempt to escalate the conflict with Iran. also toppled the government and ran (one of the national co-spokespeople this solidarity must continue to be built For that to happen, we need to build a strong movement outside Charest out of his own seat. for QS), who emerged the debate’s win- in the student and broader social move- Parliament. ner. She will join QS’s other national ments as well as in QS. PQ’s shallow support Islamophobia co-spokesperson, Amir Khadir, in the Voters did not overwhelmingly vote national assembly. Khadir, elected for Upcoming struggles for the separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) a second time, won an easy victory in The battle against tuition increases either. The PQ won a minority with Montreal’s Mercier riding, over 7,000 radicalized a generation. The “print- ‘Violent’ response to 54 seats in the 125-seat assembly, just votes ahead of the PQ candidate while emps Québécois” (Quebec Spring), ahead of the Liberals and their 51 seats. CAQ came in third and the Liberals led by militant, democratic student Islamophobic film The PQ failed to win a majority gov- trailed in fourth place. Françoise David strikes, was infused with the language WHILE SOME mainstream commentators admit the film ernment because they want a referen- (15,096 votes), after three elections, of the Occupy movement. In their turn, “Innocence of Muslims” is Islamophobic the dominant dum on independence, tighter language took Montreal’s Gouin riding from the Quebec students inspired a mass social response has been to claim that Muslims have reacted legislation, stronger laws of citizenship PQ (10,723 votes) which had held the movement bringing in demands for irrationally and violently, driven by religion. This ignores and a ban on the hijab in public service riding for 12 years. QS showed impres- change, for the environment, against the context of the protests, the different political jobs. sive promise in three other Montreal shale gas drilling, against Plan Nord currents, and the fresh waves of strikes in the Arab world. Pre-election, PQ leader Pauline ridings (Laurier-Dorion, Hochelaga- (Charest’s plan to draw in multi-nation- First, anger against blatant and provocative racism is legitim- Marois wore the red square of the stu- Maisonneuve and St. Marie/St. Jacques) als to mine the North), to protect ab- ate, and is connected to the broader socio-economic policies that dent movement, denounced Charest’s and has grown deep roots in many rid- original lands, to vote out the Liberals the West has imposed on the Arab world—dictatorships and mishandling of the student strike and ings across Quebec. and for Charest to resign. occupations spreading death and destruction and enforcing neo- demanded a freeze on tuition to win the QS officially supported the student Students and locked out Rio Tinto liberal policies, keeping millions in poverty. This is the real vio- youth vote. During the election cam- strikes from the very beginning, taking Alcan workers visibly supported each lence in the region. Coming more than 18 months after the start paign, Marois took off her red square up student demands for free, access- other’s struggles on the ground. Despite of the Arab Spring, the protests show the unfulfilled demands and recruited one of the student strike ible post-secondary education, joining supporting students financially, the ma- of the revolutions, which have yet to end Western military and leaders, Léo Bureau-Blouin, who got citizens’ pot-clanging marches (les cas- jor unions infrequently mobilized ac- political control of the region. elected in a Laval riding. saroles) and proudly wearing the red tions with students. The working class Second, individual attacks against symbols of America have One of Premier Marois’ first tasks square. were key to change in Quebec in the been a political strategy to undermine the revolutions. As the was to quash Charest’s tuition increase It’s interesting to note that progres- 1970s, and the unions will have to mo- Egyptian Revolutionary Socialists argued, “the violence of a and draconian Bill 78. Even so, militant sive Anglophones voted for QS in bilize rank-and-file members in upcom- small group against embassies and US bases in Libya, Egypt students were critical of the PQ’s plan greater numbers despite the party’s ing struggles if the momentum of the and Yemen cannot be a substitute for the mass struggle from to index tuition to the cost of living. programme for an independent Quebec. Quebec Spring is to continue. below for independence and national liberation. At the same time as they ignite anger against America, the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists insist on the maintenance of diplomatic, economic and military relations with the USA.” Socialist Worker fighting fund But protests in Egypt that began at the US embassy moved on to target the local military regime. Help Socialist Worker go viral! We are relaunching our revamped website, socialist.ca, and every financial Most significantly, and completely ignored by the Western contribution—no matter how big or small—will help us continue to provide a socialist alternative in today’s media, is that Egypt has seen another mass strike wave. The struggles. Please mail cheques to PO Box 339, Station E, Toronto ON M6H 4E3 or visit socialist.ca multi-faith working-class is the foundation of the revolution, threatening Western imperialism and the Islamist attempt to $25,000 contain the resistance. Building working-class resistance across religious lines remains the key to ending the imperial violence in the region. 8 Socialist Worker October 2012 LEFT JAB REVIEWS John Bell Harper Tories (re)make history OUR GLORIOUS Harper ual sitting in Canada’s parlia- Tories are busy making ment is Calgary West MP Rob history. And when they Anders. aren’t making it, they are Rob was the only MP to rewriting it. vote against bestowing hon- Let us begin with the top ourary citizenship on Nelson Tory himself. Harper’s chest Mandela, denouncing him as was puffed out as he proudly “a communist and a terrorist,” accepted the “Statesman of the and waxing nostalgic about the Year” award in New York. good old days of South African In a glowing tribute, for- apartheid. mer recipient of the award and Before ascending to parlia- convicted war criminal Henry ment, Rob used to hire out south Kissinger told the gala audi- of the border to the Republican ence: “Prime Minister Harper Party as a professional heck- has played a very important ler. In 1997 the Tulsa World role by developing his own newspaper described him as views, having the courage to someone who “personifies the affirm them, even when they bad taste, deception, right-wing are not shared by all the con- extremism and mean spirit that sensuses that exist, and being have poisoned the whole elec- proved correct by events.” tion process this year.” If the prerequisite for win- Anders loudly supports war- ning “Statesman of the Year” making. But when it comes to is giving the stiff middle finger supporting veterans, well, not to pretty much everybody (“all so much. As an appointee to the the consensuses that exist” does Veterans Affairs Committee, take in a lot of territory), then Anders arrived at a meeting Harper deserves it. However, a dealing with homelessness bit of investigation reveals an among vets and promptly fell even more important quality: asleep. When several veterans unswerving support for Israel. complained, Rob denounced Harper wasn’t shy about it: them as “communists” and “It is important to state that “NDP hacks.” Turns out they whatever Israel’s shortcom- were local Conservative riding ings, neither its existence nor association members. He no its policies are responsible for longer sits on that committee. ARTS the pathologies present in that Perhaps Rob’s stint as a part of the world.” right-wing zealot in the US left There’s that rewriting history him with a confused sense of thing. Opposition to Zionism is history. How else can we ex- Countering oppression with arts a “pathology.” And if Israel’s plain his recent constituency Abilities Arts Festival 2012 creativity. maker with a disability. Rather than state policies are exempted newsletter celebrating the bi- Reviewed by Melissa Graham The festival features a visual art showcasing people with disabilities as from its shortcomings, what centennial of the War of 1812. exhibit, film screenings, workshops, a separate group of people with separ- does that leave? Crappy pop This, according to Rob, is the THE ANNUAL Abilities Arts a walk featuring different stories and ate problems, the festival showcases music? Poor interior decorat- war that gave us the “principles Festival began September 20 in experiences told throughout the city, the beautiful work of people with dis- ing? Just forget the fact that it is of freedom, liberty and volun- Toronto. The intent of the festival and an exhibit at Nuit Blanche about abilities and welcomes people to see illegally occupying Palestinian teer military service” that have is to bring the vision of artists the Queen Street streetcar and its the issues that affect all of our lives territory, engaging in ethnic “guided us through the last 10 with disabilities to the attention inaccessibility. through these artists’ eyes. cleansing and recreating the years of warfare against Islamic of the wider community— The film screenings are not what Events like this do a great job at crimes of apartheid. Move terrorism.” As usual, Rob re- giving people with disabilities you would expect. A lot of times when countering ableism by making its along, nothing to see here. fuses to hide his racism. opportunities to showcase their you go to an event relating to the dis- message easy to relate to, as well as So let’s move on to Mr. Comparing a virtual civil talents in dance, photography, ability community, you would expect providing an audience for some very Harper’s Tory acolytes. war between 19th century theatre, comedy, music, film, to see films on issues facing people talented artists with disabilities. Best neighbours with modern im- painting, and other types of with disabilities. Instead the Abilities of all, most events are free so you can Minister of perialism’s “war on terror” is performance. Arts Festival takes issues you would counter capitalism at the same time. Censorship and simply delusional. Equally ap- The central theme of this year’s normally see at a film festival, like Deportation palling is Anders’ attempt to For more information check out http://abilities- festival is storytelling, as a reminder war, love, sexuality and family and artsfestival.org/ Harper’s far-right hand man, graft National Rifle Association that telling tales lies at the heart of all sees them through the eyes of the film- Jason Kenney has been busy talking points onto Canadian making history. In the space history. Anders writes: “The BOOK of a few days he: ignored the War of 1812 … gave strength to pleas of tens of thousands of the Canadian militia movement Canadians and deported war and to the notion of a citizens Biography of the people’s historian resister Kim Rivera; sent a (sic) duty to bear arms for the Howard Zinn: A Life on the Left periences helped shape his views on one of five American professors who mass spam email to members defence of the nation.” Written by Martin Duberman war, producing one of the overarch- were flown to Paris to participate in of the LGBT community at- In fact the War of 1812 Reviewed by Abby Fung ing questions in Zinn’s life—whether peace talks between North Vietnam tempting to pinkwash the proved the exact opposite. there was such a thing as a “just” or and the US. most anti-gay government in The vast majority of Upper HOWARD ZINN—historian, “justified” war. When is violence For what Zinn is most well-known Canada’s recent history; put Canada’s non-native popula- activist, and author of A People’s justified? for, there is surprisingly little writ- himself at the head of a sizeable tion were either recent immi- History of the United States—gets After the war, Zinn went to college ten about his time writing A People’s contingent of Tories who would grants from the US­—and so a bit of his own treatment in this under the GI bill and earned a PhD in History of the United States—a pres- deny women the right to control judged untrustworthy by col- biography by Martin Duberman. history from Columbia. He then went entation of American history from their own bodies; and invited a onial British authorities—or Born in 1922 in Brooklyn to a to teach at Spelman College Atlanta, the eyes of the common people. pair of white supremacists to an members of pacifist religious working-class, immigrant family, Georgia, one of the most prominent Duberman makes note of how, while immigration policy hearing. groups like the Quakers, who Zinn grew up with a sense of class and respected schools at the time for the initial press run of the book was For the sake of brevity, let’s refused to take up arms. consciousness, seeing his parents black women. This was at the time released to mixed reviews, mentions focus on Kenney the champion General Isaac Brock sneered work so hard and have so little to of the Brown v. Board of Education in popular culture—in the movie of gay rights. As an MP, first for at militias and demanded the show for it. A voracious reader, Zinn ruling, which had deemed segrega- Good Will Hunting, in an episode of the Reform Party and then for imposition of martial law to came across the works of Karl Marx tion to be unconstitutional, though The Simpsons and an episode of The Harper’s Tories, he has consist- terrorize them into obedience. while recuperating in a body cast after little change had yet been made. Zinn Sopranos—catapulted sales of the ently opposed every extension British soldiers had to lock a part-time job as a caddy injured his brought his activism to the classroom, books to unheard of levels, selling of LGBT rights, such as same- down all boats along the lakes hip. organizing his students to begin a over 2 million copies. sex marriage. He supports gut- to prevent them from deserting. Zinn started his life of activism at campaign to abolish segregation in As a biography, Duberman takes a ting Human Rights tribunals “Had not this been done, one the age of 17, leafleting local laundry the Atlanta library system, in which fairly thorough look into Zinn’s life, where complaints about homo- half of the people would have workers to encourage them to join a they were ultimately successful. He despite the fact that Zinn attempted phobia are heard. He opposes left the province, the fear of war union. His transition from liberal to also played roles in several sit-in to obscure his personal history by treating gay bashing as a hate was so great,” wrote one British radical came later that year, when demonstrations, either participating destroying nearly everything in his crime. administrator. some friends convinced Zinn to join in the demonstration itself or acting personal archives. In his writings, Small wonder the LGBT To their great credit most them in a demonstration in Times as a liaison to the press. Zinn served and even in this own autobiography community reacted in horror ordinary people on both sides Square. Mounted police broke up the as a senior advisor to the Student (You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving and disgust to his attempt to of a very porous border wanted nonviolent protest, and knocked Zinn Nonviolence Coordinating Committee Train), Zinn often neglected the per- enlist them in his drive to war. nothing to do with a war they unconscious. The incident changed (SNCC), organizing Freedom Schools sonal aspects of life. Duberman has Speaking of rewriting his- deemed senseless. That is the Zinn’s outlook drastically, convin- and helping out in the voter registra- the unenviable task of attempting to tory, recall that Immigration real history of the War of 1812, cing him that there was something tion at the height of tensions. fill in those holes, and to balance the Minister Kenney ordered the and explains why four years of inherently wrong with the system, the When the Vietnam War began, Zinn two halves of Zinn’s life. removal of all references to war resulted only in confusion government was not on the side of the found his focus shifting from the civil Duberman attempts to provide a gay rights from his revamped and stalemate. people, and the “freedom of speech” rights movement towards the protests context to the times that Zinn lived Citizenship Handbook; then The Tories constantly con- touted by the American Dream was, in against the war, though he saw the through, though that sometimes meant lied about ordering the erasure; vert real events past and present reality, not so free. two as mutually supporting issues. extended historical tangents. This then was forced to backtrack by into crude, distorted propa- At the age of 18, Zinn became a Zinn was one of two men who went book gives a good insight into Howard popular anger. ganda points. Anders would shipyard worker and later enlisted to Hanoi to facilitate the release of Zinn, giving context to the author of denounce me as a communist in the air force, flying bomber mis- three captured American pilots in the a seminal work that has since inspired Racism and war for saying so. Hey, even Rob sions during World War II. These ex- midst of the Tet Offensive. He was millions of people. Making history simply by be- Anders can’t be wrong all the ing the most repugnant individ- time. October 2012 Socialist Worker 9 international WHERE WE STAND socialist events The dead-end of capitalism The capitalist system is based on violence, TORONTO oppression and brutal exploitation. It creates Europe’s Imperfect hunger beside plenty. It kills the earth itself Union: the Crisis and the with pollution and unsustainable extraction New Left of natural resources. Capitalism leads to Fri, Oct 12, 6pm imperialism and war. Saving ourselves and the Asteria Souvlaki Place, 661 planet depends on finding an alternative. Danforth (east of Pape) Info: torontosocialists@ Socialism and workers’ power gmail.com Any alternative to capitalism must involve replacing the system from the bottom up How Did We Win through radical collective action. Central to Abortion Rights? that struggle is the workplace, where capital- Speaker: Carolyn Egan, long- ism reaps its profits off our backs. time pro-choice activist Capitalist monopolies control the earth’s Tue, Oct 23, 7pm resources, but workers everywhere actually OISE, 252 Bloor St W, room create the wealth. A new socialist society can 8220 only be constructed when workers collect- Info: torontosocialists@ ively seize control of that wealth and plan its gmail.com production and distribution to satisfy human needs, not corporate profits—to respect the YORK UNIVERSITY environment, not pollute and destroy it. Is Marxism Still Relevant? Reform and revolution Wed, Oct 17, 2:30pm Every day, there are battles between exploited Student Centre, room 307 and exploiter, oppressor and oppressed, to reform the system—to improve living condi- How We Won Abortion tions. These struggles are crucial in the fight Rights for a new world. To further these struggles, Wed, Oct 24, 2:30pm we work within the trade unions and orient Student Centre, room 307 to building a rank and file movement that strengthens workers’ unity and solidarity. Anarchism and Marxism: But the fight for reforms will not, in itself, What’s the Difference? bring about fundamental social change. The Wed, Oct 31, 2:30pm present system cannot be fixed or reformed Student Centre, room 307 as NDP and many trade union leaders say. It The real story of the has to be overthrown. That will require the Weekly meetings mass action of workers themselves. Thursdays, 2pm Student Centre 441 Elections and democracy Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988 [email protected] Elections can be an opportunity to give voice to the struggle for social change. But under by PAUL KELLOGG openly opposed to US domination in to fund the right-wing “contras” UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO capitalism, they can’t change the system. The How Did We Win the region, while the Shah had been in Nicaragua. The resulting “Iran- Abortion Rights? structures of the present parliament, army, A TERRIBLE war convulsed Iran the biggest ally of the US. Contra” scandal almost led to the police and judiciary developed under capital- and Iraq from September 22, Speaker: Carolyn Egan, long- In its commitment to restore its collapse of the presidency of Ronald time pro-choice activist ism and are designed to protect the ruling 1980 until August 20, 1988. class against the workers. These structures influence in the region, the United Reagan. The arms gained by the Tue, Oct 23, 7pm cannot be simply taken over and used by the In that war, around a million States played an extraordinarily de- Iranians were one factor in their 1986 OISE, 252 Bloor St W, room working class. The working class needs real people were killed and two ceitful, dangerous and reactionary surprise offensive which severely 8220 democracy, and that requires an entirely dif- million were made refugees. game throughout the next decade. damaged the Iraqi military. Info: torontosocialists@ ferent kind of state—a workers’ state based The fighting seemed to many Iran had its own reasons for con- The Iran-Contra scandal shocked gmail.com upon councils of workers’ delegates. observers to be a replay of the fronting Iraq. An external enemy was the Arab states in the region which OTTAWA/GATINEAU first world war, with Iran sending useful in distracting the population at were client states of the United States. Weekly meetings Internationalism its young soldiers to their death home from the increasingly reaction- To demonstrate to these mostly right- The struggle for socialism is part of a world- Mondays, University of in “human wave attacks,” and ary politics of the Khomeini regime. wing and reactionary states that the wide struggle. We campaign for solidarity Iraq responding by using chemical Ottawa with workers in other countries. We oppose And Iraq had its own reasons for at- US was still their best friend, Reagan Info: ottawa.socialists@ everything which turns workers from one weapons including mustard and tacking Iran in 1980—the two coun- flipped from secret support to Iran gmail.com country against those from other countries. phosgene gas. tries had been rivals for years, with to massive support for Iraq. The US We support all genuine national liberation When the war was over nothing a series of border disputes leading to navy deployed the biggest armada VANCOUVER movements. had changed. Both countries re- periodic acts of violence. since the Vietnam War, and with its Socialist Book Club The 1917 revolution in Russia was an turned to the borders from which the But it was always going to be support, the Iraqi army began to turn Sat, Oct 13, 2pm inspiration for the oppressed everywhere. But war began. Between them, they had risky for the very small country of the tide of war. Roots Cafe, 6502 Main St it was defeated when workers’ revolutions spent $350 billion on this senseless Iraq—population at the time of just The very rapid US military buildup (at 49th Ave) elsewhere were defeated. A Stalinist counter- revolution which killed millions created a new slaughter. According to Ruth Leger 15 million—to challenge the much had tragic consequences, including Capitalism vs. Our form of capitalist exploitation based on state Sivard, a brilliant anti-war activist bigger Iran with more than 40 mil- the shooting down, by the US, of a Climate: Why We Can’t ownership and control. In Eastern Europe, in the United States, that amounted lion people. Iraqi leader Saddam civilian Iranian airliner, the Vicennes, Have Both China and other countries a similar system to more than all the countries of the Hussein was calculating that in the killing all 290 people on board. Thu, Oct 18, 6:30pm was later established by Stalinist, not social- Third World spent on public health in chaos resulting from the revolution, Langara College, 100 W. ist parties. We support the struggle of work- a decade. Iran would not be in a position to Great Power politics 49th Ave, room A218 ers in these countries against both private resist a lightning invasion, and that What a sordid history. Its 1985-1986 and state capitalism. Revolution and he could expand Iraqi access to key covert arming of Iran prolonged the Weekly meetings counter-revolution shipping routes in the Gulf. Some war in Iran’s favour. The 1987-1988 Wednesdays, 2:30pm Canada, Quebec, The war happened just one year after think he was egged on by the United naval buildup was a key factor in Iraq Info: vancouver.socialists@ Aboriginal Peoples gmail.com Canada is not a “colony” of the United States, the 1979 revolution which over- States. This has yet to be proven. But, returning to the offensive. By 1988, but an imperialist country in its own right that threw the hated US-backed Shah of it was significant, according to one both Iraq and Iran were exhausted, HALIFAX participates in the exploitation of much of Iran. That revolution was a genuine highly placed observer, that there was there was an anti-war movement Info: halifax.socialists@ the world. The Canadian state was founded popular uprising, an uprising which “no explicit red light” from the US building in Iran, and a ceasefire was gmail.com through the repression of the Aboriginal included a massive radical student directed towards the Iraqi ambitions. finally declared. peoples and the people of Quebec. left, and workers, especially in the Once the war began, the US did We need to know this history. The peace & We support the struggles for self-determin- oil industry, taking over control of everything in its power to see that it Iraqi state, propped up by the United ation of Quebec and Aboriginal peoples up production from their managers. was long and destructive. States in the final stages of the war, justice events to and including the right to independence. But this revolution was hijacked by would become a target of the US Socialists in Quebec, and in all oppressed Don’t Attack Iran! one section, represented by Ayatollah US intervention twice in the coming decades, leading nations, work towards giving the struggle International day of action, against national oppression an internationalist Khomeini, which proceeded to in- Officially, the US was a mortal enemy to hundreds of thousands of deaths. events in various cities and working class content. stall a regime of extreme social con- of the Iranian regime, which had, And it is really instructive that Iran, Sat, Oct 6 servatism, and extreme repression. after all, presided over the hostage- today part of the “axis of evil” and Info: www.acp-cpa.ca Oppression Thousands of union activists and taking of 60 US citizens, held captive subject to constant threats of attack Within capitalist society different groups suf- revolutionaries were sent into exile, until 1981. But behind the scenes, the from Israel and the US, was re-armed Reproductive Justice: fer from specific forms of oppression. Attacks into prison, facing torture and often US was working to see if it could pull in the 1980s by none other than the Equal Access Now! on oppressed groups are used to divide work- death, in a counter-revolution from Iran back into its sphere of influence. United States. Pan-Canadian day of action, ers and weaken solidarity. We oppose racism which Iran has only slowly started to According to an official US in- If there is any doubt about the events in various cities and imperialism. We oppose all immigration Sat, Oct 20 controls. We support the right of people of recover. quiry called the Tower Commission, duplicity of Great Power politics, Info: www.arcc-cdac.ca colour and other oppressed groups to organize The Iran revolution infuriated the United States in 1983 provided one final note is worth mentioning. in their own defence. We are for real social, the United States, but not because information to the Iranian regime, Assisting the US in its secret arming economic and political equality for women. of the torture and executions. After leading to the mass arrests and exe- of Iran during the Iraq-Iran war, was TORONTO We are for an end to all forms of discrimina- all, their former ally, the deposed cutions of thousands of left-wingers none other than the state of Israel. Disability Pride March tion and homophobia against lesbians, gays, Shah of Iran, was infamous for the in the country. The Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988 Sat, Oct 13, 1pm bisexuals and transgendered people. We role of his dreaded secret police, the But the principle investigation of exposed the bankruptcy of the two re- Info: torontodisabilitypride. oppose discrimination on the basis of religion, Savak. According to Time magazine, the Tower Commission was not that gimes which locked horns—the Iraq wordpress.com ability and age. in 1979, Savak’s 60,000 agents had horrendous crime, but the 1985-1986 of Saddam Hussein and the Iran of The Revolutionary Party “tortured and murdered thousands of scandal of the United States—of- Ayatollah Khomeini. It also exposed To achieve socialism the leading activists in the Shah’s opponents.” ficially neutral in the war—secretly the reactionary role of the United You can find the working class have to be organized into a What infuriated the United States shipping massive quantities of arms States and its allies in the Middle the I.S. in: revolutionary socialist party. The party must was the fact that the new regime was to Iran, and using the money gained East. be a party of action, and it must be demo- Toronto, Ottawa, cratic. We are an organization of activists Gatineau, Vancouver, committed to helping in the construction of OPEN SATURDAYS, 12-3pm Victoria, Montreal, such a party through ongoing London, St. Catharines, activity in the mass organ- 427 Bloor Street West, suite 202, Toronto | 416.972.6391 Mississauga, Scarbor- izations of the working ough, Halifax, Belleville & class and in the daily RESISTANCE Kingston struggles of workers and PRESS e: [email protected] the oppressed. 416.972.6391 If these ideas make t: www.socialist.ca sense to you, help us in BOOK ROOM w: this project, and join the International Socialists. For more event listings, visit www.socialist.ca.

10 Socialist Worker October 2012 [email protected] GAZA FREEDOM FLOTILLA OMAR KHADR, WAR AND ISLAMOPHOBIA STICKING WITH THE UNION by AMELIA by KIMBERLY WINTER MURPHY-BEAUDOIN Carolyn Egan MOST OF humanity IN 2008, a group of understands that 44 people sailed two children, and child dilapidated boats to soldiers, are victims of Workers inspire Gaza to break Israel’s war—but not all agree. CHICAGO TEACHERS have shown that public sector illegal siege, and were The evening of September workers can take a stand against concessions and the the first international 11, 2012 saw a handful of austerity agenda and win. boats to dock in Gaza’s Jewish Defence League In the heightened political climate of the US presidential port since 1967. Now, a (JDL) members—and a elections, with the mayor of Chicago being the former assistant riveting account of that slew of their rent-a-thug to President Barack Obama, the teachers were able to garner first voyage of the Free biker buddies—holding broad community support. Parents and students understood Gaza Movement has been a “candlelight vigil” for what was at stake in the contract negotiations between the city published. the dead of September 11, and the union, and threw their support to the teachers. Freedom Sailors is a 2001. Held across the street The key to success in any public sector battle is to make it powerful record of the ex- from the home of Omar clear to those who are using those public services that you are pedition—from the concep- Khadr’s sister in Toronto’s fighting for them. This is the way to counter the “gravy train” tion of the idea, through two Scarborough Junction, it mantra that so many politicians are mouthing today in an at- years of organizing inter- was more like a lynch-mob. tempt to undermine support for public services and those who nationally, to the voyage The JDL and the bik- provide them. The library workers in Toronto used the same itself. The book’s 24 auth- ers—those who run guns approach with public readings and other events during their ors document this struggle and drugs, and call rape two-and-a-half-week strike and built strong solidarity in the through their first-hand “surprise sex”—spewed lead up to job action. Toronto has one of the heaviest used li- experiences. hate-filled rhetoric and held brary systems in North America, and users—including notable Co-editor Greta Berlin placards opposing terror- authors such as Margaret Atwood—were vocal in their support. launched the book in Canada ism, effectively terrorizing This was significant in turning the tide and helped the library at an event that also marked the new-comers to Canada workers to beat back most of the concessions being sought. the International Day of who live in the same apart- Despite low union density and “right to work” laws, work- Action for Gaza Fishers and ment building along with ers in the US are fighting back in ways that are inspirational Farmers, as called by the Omar’s family. If it wasn’t to us all. The Wisconsin uprising against the state’s attack on Union of Agricultural Work so serious, it would be fod- collective bargaining rights put working class struggle back on Committees in Palestine. der for a Bizarro comic. the agenda in a way that had not been seen in decades in that Berlin is a co-founder of Across the street, in front Omar is not responsible did not meet with a lawyer country. This was followed by the Occupy movement, which the Free Gaza Movement of the building, about 100 for 9/11. He is accused of for three years, had no judi- engaged with trade unions from New York City to Oakland, and she’s touring Canada peace activists from Jewish, being a terrorist. Dragged cial process, and had no trial California. The language of the 99% had resonance with work- now. At the Toronto book Hindu, Muslim, Christian into a war not of his mak- until 2010. He was tortured ing people and the poor around the globe, with over 1600 oc- launch on September 28, and other faiths gathered ing at 13 years old, he repeatedly for eight years. cupy sites being established. with passion and humour she together. They honoured the was present in the area of In October 2010 he pled In Canada, public sector workers in British Columbia re- shared pieces of the compel- dead of September 11, stat- a skirmish in Afghanistan guilty. cently staged a one-day general strike against attacks by the ling story—how 44 deter- ing they would not stand si- on July 27, 2002. A gren- In the course of history, provincial government. This was an important step in the mined people on two ram- lently by and let the JDL use ade was thrown; Sergeant countless numbers of people fight against the austerity agenda in Canada. The magnificent shackle boats chipped away the terrible events of that day Christopher Speer suffered have pled guilty because student strike in Quebec over tuition hikes in post-secondary at Israel’s illegal blockade of to confuse peaceful vigils wounds from it and died they’re coerced, up against education brought down Jean Charest’s Liberal government. Gaza. with racism and war. They two weeks later. There is no insurmountable odds, or to It sparked solidarity actions across the country with people She described the ups stated they would not toler- evidence or proof that Omar end the torture they suffer in the streets banging pots and pans in support. A busload of and downs in the two years ate Islamophobia, called for threw any grenade; he was at the hands of their captors. Toronto Steelworkers drove to Montreal in the summer to join it took to build the project an end to Guantanamo and shot—in the back—three Omar is finally back in one of the protests and the rank-and-file members who made and how a diverse group of called for Omar’s return to times; taken to Bagram, and Canada but still in prison, the six-hour journey were greeted with a joyous response from passengers, crew, and jour- Canada. Born and raised treated as guilty from minute while the real crime of war the demonstrators. nalists aged 22 to 81, with here until the age of 10, he one. Three months later he continues. It’s time to free The Liberal government in Ontario has recently enacted love and conviction gave is a Canadian citizen. was taken to Guantanamo, Omar and end the war. legislation taking away the collective bargaining rights of themselves to the project of teachers in this province. There was a huge demonstration bringing a message of soli- ST. JOHN’S AIRPORT WORKERS STRIKE in the summer, called by the Elementary School Teachers darity and hope to Gaza, and by TIM KENNEDY the first, something they had on pensions and benefits, Federation, which brought out thousands. The ETFO members succeeded. tabled in June, to place them which management un- are withdrawing extra-curricular services and students have Tens of thousands of AROUND 90 workers at on par with the workers em- doubtedly plan to make. One walked out of schools, showing their support for the teachers, Palestinians waited on the St. John’s International ployed at airports of similar example of such an attack is and pointing the finger of blame at the Ontario government. A shores to greet them. They Airport have been on stature. the plan to eliminate the “no recent by-election in a traditionally Conservative riding was completed the voyage four strike since September As UCTE National lay-off” policy for new em- won by the New Democratic Party, and one of the main issues more times before the Israeli 11 to demand fair wages President Christine Collins ployees. Management has voters were responding to was the attack on teachers. navy rammed their boat in and stop concessions. explained, “St. John’s claimed that the actions of The labour movement has to connect with the communities international waters. The workers—organized International Airport the workers constitute “reck- under attack and fight back as the teachers did in Chicago. That first successful voy- under the Union of Canadian Authority (SJIAA) is in a less behavior,” and that their Working people and the poor understand better everyday which age allowed people to see Transport Employees very healthy position fi- demands are “not realistic.” side they are on in the battles shaping up. The 1% is becoming possibility. It began with an (UCTE) Local 90916, part of nancially and is expanding The strike continues, more and more frantic to save its wealth and privilege—the idea and it inspired a vibrant the Public Service Alliance to be similar to the size of and has received solidar- mask is being torn off. This is the time to step up the struggle. international movement. The of Canada (PSAC)—voted Halifax Airport. And yet, our ity from the Nurse’s Union We saw the long lockout of Steelworkers in Alma, Quebec Gaza Freedom Flotillas have unanimously to strike after members have not received and the Newfoundland and by Rio Tinto. After over six months on the line they were able forced the media to tell the three years of negotia- a wage increase since 2008. Labrador Federation of to push back the worst of the attacks and go back to work world about the brutal Israeli tions with management fell This is simply not fair.” Labour. We must continue with their heads held high. That helped Rio Tinto workers in blockade of Gaza, one that through. The same workers As if stymieing wages to support the struggle for Kitimat, BC—who were sending $60,000 a month from their keeps more than 1.5 million at Halifax International are wasn’t enough for manage- fair wages and benefits own wages to the Alma workers during the lockout—to win people in an open-air prison. making 28-52 per cent more ment, they are refusing to across Newfoundland and a good contract for themselves. Recently a Rio Tinto mine All proceeds from in wages, so St. John’s work- accept the workers’ demand Labrador, which is an ex- on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, also organized by the Freedom Sailors will go ers are fighting for a wage of “no concessions.” This ample to all workers. Steelworkers, won an excellent contract with significant gains. For updates, visit to the Gaza Community increase of 58 per cent over demand was a move by the www.ucte.com & psacatlantic.ca Rio Tinto is the third largest multinational in the world but Mental Health Programme 4 years—with 31 per cent in workers to prevent attacks it was defeated by strong rank-and-file action, solidarity and and Gaza’s Ark, a new inter- BCGEU STRIKE an international campaign. This also built strong ties between national project that will at- Francophone and Anglophone workers, which are critical to by VALERIE LANNON tempt to break the siege of Victoria Labour Council’s among Labour Council any long-term victory. Gaza, this time from the in- SEPTEMBER 5 saw Solidarity Action group. delegates about the need for The working class has the power to fight back and win. The side—with a boat being con- 25,000 members of There were banners from more rank-and-file organ- attacks are hard and we have had a lot of losses and setbacks structed by Palestinians in the British Columbia the BC Teachers Federation, izing. As a result, much of but if we have a strong movement of the rank-and-file willing Gaza. In the spring of 2013 Government Employees CUPW, Health Employees the workshop focused on to push back we can make gains that will hopefully inspire a crew of internationals and Union striking in 153 Union, and BC Ferries work- cross-picketing, including others. Today we have no other choice. Let’s hope the teachers Palestinians will sail it out to communities, at more ers. The solidarity group vis- historical and recent ex- in Ontario can lead the way in this province. challenge the blockade that than 700 work sites. The ited half a dozen picket sites. amples, plus basic “do”s and prevents Palestinians from union’s last strike was Strikers were thrilled, with “don’t”s. sailing from their shores to more than 20 years ago. one BCGEU member saying There was an empha- fish or export. The boat will As with other public sec- “we’ll do the same for you.” sis on the need to educate Join the carry Palestinian products tor unions, the BCGEU has Since then, several public members about the import- to fulfill international trade seen real wages decrease. sector unions have taken ance of solidarity, and about International Socialists deals. After three rotating strikes strike votes or will be doing overcoming the fear of dra- Today, the Finnish- earlier in the year, the union so shortly—affecting over conian government imposed Mail: P.O. Box 339, Station E, Toronto, ON M6H 4E3 [email protected] / 416.972.6391 flagged tall ship Estelle, is decided to stage this one- 250,000 workers. fines. As one participant E-mail: Tel: sailing as part of the third day action. The day also saw On September 22 the stated, “We have to say we Freedom Flotilla seeking to strikes by the Professional Solidarity Action group held will strike until all fines are break the siege, but further Employees Association an action planning workshop dropped.” Name: coordinated international and the Canadian Office in Victoria. Almost 30 labour This kind of rank-and-file Address: action in solidarity with the & Professional Employees activists—mainly from the initiative is exactly what is Palestinians is required. Union, whose members Greater Victoria Teachers needed to mobilize those City/Province: work alongside GEU Association, BCGEU and who are tired of the slow To follow the Estelle, and learn Phone: more about Gaza’s Ark, visit members. the Hospital Employees or inadequate responses www.gazaark.org In Victoria, BCGEU strik- Union—participated. of many union leaders to To purchase Freedom Sailors, visit ers were joined by mem- The impetus for the work- the massive attacks by E-mail: www.freedomsailors.com bers of the newly formed shop came from discussions employers.

October 2012 Socialist Worker 11 SocialistWorker If we fight, we can beat austerity FIVE YEARS into the economic system we are confronting…We are crisis, the 1% continue to impose so much stronger due to the strength austerity measures to make and unity of the CTU and the out- ordinary people pay. While not pouring of public support.” resisting will guarantee more austerity, we are starting to CAW: concessions see a number of significant without a fight victories based on rank-and-file By contrast, the recent autoworkers’ organizing. contract shows what happens when we don’t resist austerity. Following Quebec: ‘together, let’s the pattern seen elsewhere, the em- stop the hike’ ployers demanded massive conces- Quebec students showed that we can sions despite returns to profitability. stop austerity measures if we build Ford, GM and Chrysler all de- resistance from below. Threatened manded similar concessions to those with a 75 per cent tuition hike, stu- that the UAW accepted in the US, dents mobilized all those opposed which drastically lowered wages for to the tuition hike within a broader new hires. argument against austerity. The The CAW leadership heavily CLASSE student union did not sud- pushed the four-year deal, claiming denly call a strike from on high, but it will save jobs and create new ones. built it patiently from below—start- But 20 years of concessions have not ing with mass petitions, demonstra- saved jobs despite promises from the tions and protests. Through the pro- big three. The only guarantee is that cess of organizing—department by wages will be frozen for current em- department, campus by campus— ployees, and tiered for new hires— the movement built rank-and-file starting at 60 per cent wages (lower confidence and experience necessary than the non-union Toyota plant in to organize and enforce a strike. Cambridge) and taking a decade to For six months students went on reach the full rate, a permanent set- strike—resisting media vilification, back in wages. police violence and government The problem with the agreement attempts to divide them at the ne- isn’t just that it contains deep con- gotiating table. The student move- cessions, which it does. The real ment built alliances with the en- problem is that the union leadership vironmental movement and labour accepted the concessions with next movement. CLASSE moved their to no fight. By settling with Ford, congress to Alma during the day of tuition hikes and called for comply- Teachers, had not fought. dents, and driven from below. The GM and Chrysler without a fight, action to support locked-out work- ing with Bill 78) to abolish both the Earlier in the year, the Caucus of leadership remained bound by the employers everywhere will be em- ers, and called for the student strike tuition hike and the law meant to Rank-and-File Educators (CORE) “House of Delegates” drawn from boldened and other workers will be to broaden into a social strike. enforce it. organized against school closures each school, so when the bargaining demoralized. When the government responded alongside parents and students. team recommended the deal these When unions fight—even in dif- with a draconian law banning gath- Chicago: rank-and-file Though the fight to stop closures delegates voted to continue the strike ficult situations like against US erings of 50 people or more, the stu- organizing was unsuccessful, the experience of until they had a chance to consult all Steel and Vale Inco—they send a dent movement appealed to all those Similarly, Chicago teachers showed rank-and-file organizing cemented the members about the details. message to employers that work- affected, whether students or not, how the labour movement can fight relationships with the broader com- As the CTU wrote in a statement ers will fight them every step of the to defend civil liberties. Casserole austerity through rank-and-file or- munity and won over teachers, al- to supporters following the strike: way. As a result, these unions have demonstrations erupted—effectively ganizing and community outreach. lowing CORE to run a slate against “What has been accomplished in built even stronger rank-and-file net- breaking the law with the largest act Threatened with the corpora- the previous union leadership and Chicago in the last few weeks has works and are equipped with lessons of civil disobedience in Canadian tization of education—merit pay, win. reverberated nationally. It power- learned to apply for the next round. history—and solidarity demonstra- heavy reliance on test scores, and The vision of fighting for quality fully demonstrated an alternative And when Rio Tinto workers were tions spread across Canada and easy firings—the Chicago Teachers public education, including con- to business unionism and the whole locked out last year, rank-and-file or- around the world. Union (CTU) organized a strike in ditions for teachers and students, corporate education agenda. There ganizing beat back major employer In a final attempt to break the difficult circumstances. They took on was clearly articulated in the CTU are new solidarities, forged on picket concessions. movement Premier Charest called powerful Democratic mayor Rahm document The Schools Chicago’s lines, among teachers and between The lesson for CAW and CEP an election, with the result being Emanuel in the midst of the US Students Deserve and supported by teachers and students, parents, and members of a future merged union his government was toppled and he presidential elections, with no sup- the 90 per cent strike vote. community members. Through this is clear: it’s not the size of the union lost his own seat. The mass pres- port from Democrats, and resisted The strike was organized school strike, teachers have emerged as that’s decisive, it’s rank-and-file or- sure from below pushed the new PQ austerity measures that their national by school, alongside visible mass activists and organizers, and there ganization. And that work needs to government (which has a history of affiliate, the American Federation of rallies uniting with parents and stu- is a deeper consciousness about the start now. Never miss Solidarity against McGuinty’s attacks on teachers by PAM JOHNSON ing about this legislation is McGuinty: repeal Bill 115. cupied the state capitol build- an issue. CHANTING “Kill the Bill,” that it hands decision-mak- It bans the right to strike, it ing in Wisconsin against anti- hundreds of high school ing power over any issue to freezes the wages of teachers union legislation, building a Mail in this form with a cheque students have walked out the Minister of Education. and cuts their benefits. There movement that ultimately or money order of classes across Ontario Teachers will be stripped of was no negotiation, there repealed the law. made payable to to protest Premier Dalton any say in their own work- was no collective bargaining. Quebec students built “Socialist Worker”. McGuinty’s Bill 115. places if it does not line up Teachers feel disrespected a broad-based movement The bill, passed on with what the government and that is what we want to against tuition hikes and in Prices per year September 11 by McGuinty’s wants. say today: you have to re- defense of civil liberties that (CAD dollars): Liberals, with the support of Teachers have responded spect the teachers, negotiate successfully rolled back the the Tories, is a massive attack by withdrawing their vol- and not just impose demands tuition hike and repealed Bill Regular subscription: $30 on public school teachers’ unteer labour from extra- on them.” 78 [see pg. 8]. Institutions, First Class collective bargaining rights, curricular activities and by The draconian nature and Chicago teachers built a delivery and U.S.: $50 all in the name of austerity. picketing MPP offices, while scope of this bill exposes strong rank-and-file move- Other international: $60 Even before teachers had a students have responded with McGuinty’s main goal: ment that united with stu- chance to bargain, McGuinty walkouts in solidarity across busting the unions of pub- dents and parents, and imposed a contract taking the province. lic sector workers. Taking pushed back the Democratic Name: away half their sick days, for- Kayla Smith, a grade away basic rights doesn’t Mayor’s attacks on unions cing them to accept three un- 12 student at Bramalea save money but is designed [see pg. 4]. Address: paid days and a wage freeze, Secondary School in to intimidate and harass Wisconsin, Quebec and and taking away the right to Brampton, organized a rally workers. We are seeing this Chicago represent three Phone: strike. at Queen’s Park. Students anti-worker, union-bashing hugely successful campaigns As one legal expert said, joined parents, teachers agenda at all levels of gov- against austerity—including E-mail: “this proposed legislation is and contingents from the ernment—from coast to coast unjust laws—that can serve an unprecedented attack on Canadian Federation of and around the world. as examples and inspiration Mail to: Socialist Worker, PO Box 339 the civil liberties and consti- Students, CUPE and PSAC. But we have also seen how for Ontario teachers. Station E, Toronto, ON Canada, M6H 4E3 tutional rights and freedoms Kayla emphasized the stu- students and teachers can re- Phone: 416.972.6391 / E-mail: [email protected] For more information, visit of educational workers.” dents’ opposition to the bill: sist austerity. campaignforpubliceducation.ca What is most disconcert- “I have a message for Mr. Students and workers oc-