Spooks, Sex and Infiltration Big Bucks on the Backs of Prisoners Kids, Co-ops and Community

Thenews from Dominion the grassroots www.dominionpaper.ca • Mar/Apr 2012 • Issue # 81 Hogwash! Pork, Pollution and Poverty on the Prairies

member supported cooperative media www.mediacoop.ca/join $5 2 In Review The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 In This Issue: "Radicals" surged, gold mine suspended, Health Early Life's Long Reach CSIS rejected Forward Members of the Pictou Landing Resources Joe Oliver's state- the uprisings in the Middle East by Moira Peters • 4 First Nation voted 119 to 20 to ment, environmental organiza- and protest camps in Europe and reject Nova Scotia's offer of $3 tions opposing the pipeline have North America. The report singled Canadian News million in exchange for icing their reported tens of thousands of out Honduras, Mexico, Pakistan, More Prisons, Higher Profits lawsuit against the province for a dollars in new donations and an Iran and Iraq for violence against by Kaley Kennedy • 6 minimum of 2 years. The band, in equal surge in people signing onto journalists, and impunity for serious financial difficulties, has campaigns and petitions against perpetrators. Saying No to CSIS turned to the court system after the pipeline. Montreal police shot and killed by Tim McSorley • 8 the province repeatedly reneged on The First Nations alliance against Iranian-Kurdish refugee Far- promises to stop allowing pulp and the Gateway pipeline grew to over shad Mohammadi following an Battle of the Budget paper effluent dumping in Boat 100 nations when Indigenous altercation with police. Moham- by Justin Saunders • 14 Harbour, and to begin cleaning up communities from Alberta and madi, who was homeless, allegedly the environmental disaster. G20 Fallout Continues the Northwest Territories signed cut a police officer with a utility The Argentinian province of La on to the Save The Fraser declara- knife. He had put the knife in by Shailagh Keaney • 16 Rioja suspended Vancouver-based tion in January. his pocket and was walking away mining company Osisko's license when police shot him from behind. features Nova Scotians rallied in Halifax for the Famatina gold mine project It was the second time the police Hogtown, Manitoba and Cape Breton against hydraulic following protests by thousands have shot and killed a homeless by Sheldon Birnie • 10 fraction to extract natural gas of residents in the area. “There’ll in the province. Opponents to man in Montreal in the past seven be no further activity ... as long as months, leading to renewed calls Gender fracking, as the process is com- people oppose [the project]", said for better services for the city's Scoring for Information monly known, point to its link the provincial governor. street-involved population and for by Kelly Plug-Back • 13 to incidents of well-water and As of noon on Jan. 2, the 100 rich- soil contamination as reasons the an independent review commis- sion to investigate police violence. Media Analysis est CEOs in Canada had already provincial government should put made the salary of an average a stop to the controversial practice. Currently, such investigations are The Honorable Voices of Four assigned to other police forces. Women Killed in Kingston Canadian worker, according to the One speaker said that in an area of by Arash Azizi • 15 Canadian Centre for Policy Alter- Nova Scotia, up to 60 homes had Lawyers for the Ontario Provin- natives. The same report showed lost their well-water following the cial Police filed an appeal to the international news that in 2010, the top CEOs in start of seismic testing for natural Supreme Court of Canada over Island Hopping with Emera Canada made 189 times more gas. a ruling that officers, in the event than the average Canadian worker, by Miles Howe • 18 Mexican journalist and gov- of a fatal shooting of a suspect, raking in an $8.38-million versus ernment whistleblower Karla cannot have their notes vetted by $44,366. Environment Berenice García Ramírez filed a a lawyer before they are turned Canadian-owned Mine Fuels Consultations into Enbridge final request for refugee status in over to investigators . The OPP's Violence in Mexico Inc.'s Northern Gateway oil Canada. The writer and her family lawyers claim the ruling, which was made in a legal battle led by by Dawn Paley • 20 pipeline began in northern British have faced death threats after Columbia. Over 4,000 people she leaked thousands of pages the mother of Levi Shaffer, who was killed by OPP officers, violates Photo essay have signed up to intervene at documenting corruption and graft officers' fundamental legal rights. The Twelve Days of Kenney the consultations, which are now at Mexico's National Council for by Stephanie Law & expected to last two full years. Culture and Arts. In rejecting The chief of the First Nation com- Fatima Jaffer • 21 Minister of Natural Resources Joe her previous requests for refugee munity of Attawapiskat, which Oliver released an open letter the status, the Canadian government is facing a severe housing crisis, back talk day before the consultation process stated that Mexico is safe and called for revenue sharing from Letters began, warning against the influ- democratic, reducing the need the nearby De Beers diamond compiled by Moira Peters • 22 ence of foreign money and radicals to grant refugee status to their mine, near James Bay in Ontario. in the process. Prime Minister citizens. While the community does receive Stephen Harper repeated that the “Crackdown was the word of fixed payments from the company, pipeline, which would transport the year in 2011," said Reporters "Great riches are being taken from oil from the Alberta tar sands to Without Borders as it released our land for the benefit of a few... a port in BC for export to Asian its 2011/12 Press Freedom Index, Our lands have been stripped markets, is in Canada's national pointing to 12 months that saw from us and yet development on interest. journalists pitted against govern- our land area in timber, hydro and Since Minister of Natural ment and police forces throughout mining have created unlimited To find new subscribers, we occasionally exchange mailing lists with like-minded organizations for one-time mailings. If you prefer not to receive such mailings, please email [email protected], or write to the address in the masthead. The Dominion is printed on Enviro100 100 per cent post-consumer paper. Printed by Kata Soho Design & Printing, www.katasoho.com, in Montreal. The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 In Review 3 ~ ISSN 1710-0283 ~ www.dominionpaper.ca [email protected] PO Box 741 Station H Montreal, QC H3G 2M7

The Dominion is a pan-Canadian media network that seeks to provide a counterpoint to the corporate media and to direct attention to independent critics and the work of social movements. The Dominion is published six times per year in print and on the web.

Publisher The Dominion Newspaper Co-operative Board of Directors Nat Gray (contributor) Sharmeen Khan (reader) Dru Oja Jay (editor) Tim McSorley (editor) Moira Peters (editor) Toronto protesters host a "dead-in" against U.S. Military aid in Egypt on the one year anniversary of the Egyptian uprising. Editorial Collective Loretta Lime Roddy Doucet Koby Rogers Hall Miles Howe “It's frustrating that this government keeps Stephanie Law Tim McSorley giving handouts to corporations and in return Dalia Merhi these corporations just slam workers.” Editors-at-large Hillary Lindsay Martin Lukacs —Nancy Hutchinson, Ontario Federation of Labour, on the Dru Oja Jay lock-out of 450 workers at the Caterpillar-owned Dawn Paley Moira Peters Electro-Motive plant in London, ON. The company Copy Editors shut down the plant at the end of January, Joel Butler Alexander Hemingway after receiving $5 million in tax-breaks in 2008. Kate Kennedy Lise Kuhn Meg Leitold wealth for non-native people and pipeline, which would have region. Clement, who is the MP Kendra Martin their governments," said Chief transported tar sands oil from for the region and now Secretary Sean Mc Millen Theresa Spence. northern Alberta through the US of the Treasury Board, claims his Patrick Murphy About 50 anti-racist protesters to refineries in Texas. Obama said office had nothing to do with the David Parkinson rallied outside of a Vancouver that the decision was not based decisions, but critics have accused Julia Vanderham court house during the hearing of on the environmental impact of his office of using the money to Zander Winther neo-Nazi Shawn MacDonald, a the pipeline but rather due to the gain political favor among con- Comic Artist member of the Blood and Honour Republican-controlled House stituents. Heather Meek of Representatives forcing the white“ supremacist organization. Correction: The article "Foreign government, in late December, to Cover illustration by Caitlin MacDonald is facing charges for Aid to Mining Firms" by Gwen- produce a decision on the pipeline Crawshaw. attacks between 2008 and 2010 on dolyn Schulman and Roberto within 60 days. an aboriginal woman, an Hispanic Nieto (The Dominion, Issue 80) man and a black man. Other Newly released documents incorrectly implied that the joint members of Blood and Honor are revealed that then-industry min- project by Plan Canada and IAM- also being charged with the 2009 ister Tony Clement played a role GOLD would be taking place in assault of a Filipino man who was in selecting which projects were a mining community. In fact, Plan set on fire while he was sleeping granted money via the 2010 G8 Canada’s work will not be carried We acknowledge the outside on a couch. Legacy Fund. The fund provided out at any of IAMGOLD's mine financial support of the Government of money for construction projects sites. We regret the error, and the US President Barack Obama Canada through the Canada Periodical blocked the Keystone XL to be built in the lead up to the online version of the article has Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. G8 meetings held in the Muskoka since been updated. 4 Health The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Early Life's Long Reach Forward Can a parenting co-op in Cape Breton save the economy? by Moira Peters hospital, an arena, a school, a food women in Inverness have to drive ognizing the impact of early brain bank and low-income housing. two hours to the nearest obstetrics development on quality of life, HALIFAX—A report released in “Families don’t need two cars to unit, in Antigonish, to give birth. and he co-authored two follow-up January by the Canadian Pae- survive here,” says Mustard. “It’s a In addition to rural hospitals early years studies; the most recent diatrics Society (CPS) outlines nest for people to land in and stay.” losing their services for young was released a few days after his a simple adjustment in family Still, to an outsider, a small families, Nova Scotia has also death in November 2011. services that would lead to an town in an economically depressed closed dozens of rural schools over These early years studies stem economic revolution in Canada, region of Nova Scotia may not the past 15 years. Last year, the from neuroplasticity research, and it’s all about facilitating early seem like the place such an initia- federal government further cut five which is based on the principle childhood development. tive might flourish. For Diana Service Canada offices out of rural that your brain is “plastic.” It can The society’s 2012 status MacLellan, though, a 25-year-old Cape Breton. learn new things through practice, report, Are We Doing Enough, single mother originally from Because a child's health but it could also lose learnt things showed that for every dollar spent Inverness, and a member of the begins with the mother's, the when they aren’t practiced. in the early childhood years, the co-op’s board of directors, it makes Inverness Early Years Co-op During the first few years of government could see $4 to $8 in perfect sense. is geared towards relieving the life, this brain development takes return to society. It particularly “I always had a baby on mother’s financial stress by offering place at an incredible rate; it triples noted the provincially-funded my hip,” she says. “I have a large training for employment skills, in size by the time a child reaches early learning and childcare pro- extended family: 22 aunts and while providing a place to share the age of three. Early years, there- gram in Quebec, which undoubt- uncles, 52 cousins. You know, childcare. In-kind payments will fore, present "great opportunities edly played a role in increasing someone to turn to, everyone to be an option for low-income and great risks that set trajecto- the number of women in the answer to.” The supportive dynamic families. ries across a lifetime," according workforce by four per cent, and in of a large, tight-knit family was “We want to have licensed to the Council for Early Child increasing the provincial GDP by common when she was growing childcare, an informal drop-in, Development (CECD), founded $5.2 billion. up, but it has faded as families with prenatal [services], breast- by Dr. Mustard and colleagues to But the report also found that moved away from their rural roots feeding, a playgroup and a place continue the work initiated in the the federal government isn’t doing in search of more economically for families to convene with a first Early Years Study. The CECD enough to advance early learning viable livelihoods in urban centres specialist,” says MacLellan. “The ceased operations in 2010 due to and childcare programs across the and in oil-rich Alberta. centre has to be accessible to abso- lack of funding. country. “We’re trying to bring that lutely everybody.” Dr. Mustard and McCain's A group of young women in [family support] back,” she says. first study in 1999 argued that par- Inverness, an old coal-mining town The Inverness Early Years he gap in services for the early enting centres would save billions in rural Nova Scotia, are not wait- Co-op is not yet operational, but years of a person's life—from of dollars down the road. ing around for the government to its board has been meeting since inT utero to age five—is a national Not only do early develop- catch on, though. With the help of June 2010, and plans are under- trend. Canada ranks last among mental deficits, caused by poor a municipal councillor, the women way to partner with the Inverness 25 wealthy Western nations in health and environment, devastate have decided to start the revolu- Cottage Workshop to build a its support for early childhood the lives of the children in ques- tion in their town. space for the co-op’s services. The development policies, according tion, but they also cost Canada “There is a lack of honour- centre will be 11,000 square feet, to a 2011 report by the Organiza- dearly through welfare, health care, ing the role of the child and the and “a model of energy efficiency,” tion for Economic Co-operation prisons and remediation, and result woman in building a pluralistic, says Mustard, using local energy and Development (OECD) and in lower contributions to society, empathetic world,” says Jim Mus- sources such as biomass pel- UNICEF. Canada also comes according to six economists writ- tard, a councillor for the County lets from naturally regenerating second-last among 34 OECD ing for the Journal of Public Health of Inverness. There is little in the alders and solar power. The town nations in spending on childcare in 2010. way of public services aimed at of Inverness has already raised and pre-primary education. "The country now tolerates enriching the lives of people aged $700,000—one-third of the build- This is ironic, given the firm an unnecessary brain drain that zero to five, he notes, even though ing's cost—and hopes to raise Canadian roots of the interdis- will dramatically deplete our future these are the people who deter- another third from the province. ciplinary research that led to the stock of human capital,” write the mine the health and vibrancy of a The board hopes the co-op will be groundbreaking 1999 Canadian economists of Canada’s lost oppor- community. open in eight months. Early Years Study: Reversing the tunities for productivity from lack In an effort to support the “We’re creating a platform to Real Brain Drain, done by the of investment in its citizens’ early county's population of young grow a community,” says Mustard. late Dr. Fraser Mustard (father of years. Over a quarter of Canadian families, Mustard, along with seven Like many other towns and Inverness's municipal councillor) children enter kindergarten not mothers, formed the Inverness villages in rural Nova Scotia, and Margaret Norrie McCain. The fully prepared to learn, they report. Early Years Co-op. Inverness suffers from a constant study called on the federal govern- Early child development Inverness, population 2,000, cutback in support services for ment to establish parenting centres programs also significantly reduce is a little different from nearby families, Mustard says. The obstet- to support families, beginning the cost of mental illness, the villages in that it enjoys a critical rics unit in the Inverness hospital at pregnancy. Dr. Mustard was a second-leading cause of disability amount of built infrastructure: a was cut eight years ago. Now, world-reknowned pioneer in rec- and premature death in Canada. The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Health 5

A group of mothers are starting a co-op in Inverness, Nova Scotia, to support each other and their young babies. Stephanie Law

Mental illness costs $51 billion to Dr. Danielle Grenier and Dr. in initiatives such as a Discovering port all parents, where all issues are per year in Canada due to costs in Denis Leduc from the Canadian Opportunities for Grade 9, virtual put in a holistic perspective.” health care and loss of productivity. Paediatric Society in a 2008 article. courses and skilled trade courses Twenty-five-year-old single Canada was on the road "The belief that such a system geared to shipbuilding. But none mother Diana MacLellan agrees to becoming an international can create itself in the absence of the funds will be dedicated to with Mustard and believes the leader in early child development of national leadership is simply early development initiatives, in co-op model will work to improve programs with a national childcare flawed," they write. "At best, Can- spite of CPS' recommendations her child’s development and strategy, to which the federal gov- ada's early childhood education to invest in early years education. health. ernment committed $5 billion over and care 'system' is a patchwork of The department did not respond to “The community has to have five years in 2004. Agreements policies and programs—creating requests for an interview. ownership in the centre, and be were signed between the federal geographical and income inequi- The Inverness initiative able to make changes and deci- and provincial and territorial ties." also demonstrates an alternative sions,” says MacLellan. governments, which would receive Nova Scotia, says Mustard, angle on economics in the choice With this co-op in place, transfer payments for establishing falls behind other provinces in its to form a co-op, distinct from a MacLellan says women might early learning and childcare plans. commitment to strategize around profit-driven enterprise. be able to regain the community But when Conservative the link between maternal health “The co-op model is most network that once existed in Prime Minister Stephen Harper and childhood development—it responsive when trying to develop Inverness. came to power in 2006, that plan puts the least resources, out of something as open as an early “If anything ever happened, I was scrapped. any province, into early child years centre,” says Mustard. “The could walk into any house for help The 2004 vision for a national development. In fact, the prov- model makes sense.” and support,” she says. “It's about framework on early years develop- ince's Department of Education “This is not about target- feeling safe.” ment was crucial if Canada wanted announced on February 3 its ing families with problems,” says return on its investment in early "Kids and Learning First" plan, councillor Mustard, “but building Moira grew up near Inverness, and child development, according which would invest $6.7 million a centre in the community to sup- now lives and bikes in Halifax. 6 Canadian News The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81

“Prisoners are

tremendously

resourceful

organizers, despite

the huge barriers

they face [such as]

censorship, isolation,

lack of funds, [and]

retribution by staff/

More Prisons, administration.” Higher Profits —Sarah Falconer, Inmates have little power prison justice activist to challenge prison work conditions by Kaley Kennedy your productivity,” reads a pitch time or vacation pay and need canteen goods inmates require has from CORCAN—a branch of the clearance from a health profes- increased from $8.49 to over $60. HALIFAX—Criticism of cheap Correctional Service of Canada sional to take a sick day. Overtime In the 2008-09 fiscal year, inmates prison labour is something often (CSC) that coordinates inmate pay is just over $1 per hour and worked about 2.8 million hours aimed at privately owned US super work programs in over 50 shops inmates are required to hand over collectively. jails, but here in Canada, thou- in manufacturing, textile produc- 25 per cent of any earnings over CORCAN sells most of its sands of imprisoned people form a tion, industrial laundry and other $69 biweekly for room and board. goods and services to government labour pool where wages dip below industries. Prison wages have not departments such as CSC and the a dollar an hour. Every year, about 4,800 increased in about 25 years; Department of National Defence. “Motivated workers. ISO- inmates across the country partici- however, according to a 2008 In 2008-09, CORCAN had about certified plants. Flexible contracts. pate in CORCAN work programs. report from Howard Sapers, the $70 million in sales, with $10 Your partnership with CORCAN Inmates are paid a maximum of federal Correctional Investigator, million of those sales to the private will build your business and boost $6.90 per day, have no vacation the cost of the average basket of sector. If the 4,800 inmates who The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Canadian News 7 worked in CORCAN shops were lar minority,” she adds. to work, even in poor conditions, paid at the top rate of $6.90 per When it comes to labour because an inmate’s adherence to day, CORCAN would have spent issues though, significant barriers their correction plan influences just $2.4 million paying prison- prevent prisoners from using decisions on inmate privileges and ers—3.45 per cent of its total sales. the courts to challenge working parole. In March of last year, inmates conditions. Unlike rights granted While its mandate is said at Mountain Institution in Agas- under the Canadian Charter of to be centred on work programs siz, BC, announced that they were Rights and Freedoms that are that work for prisoners, deci- attempting to organize an inmate intended to apply to all people, sions ultimately come down to labour union in order to improve inmates are excluded from the dollar figures. In 2009, CORCAN CP Sutcliffe working conditions for prison- statutes and regulations that announced it would be closing six ers. It is unclear what the current define labour laws. prison farms across the country status of the inmate union is, but “These challenges would because the farms had been losing We Want Your prisoner worker action has been face uphill battles in the courts,” money. CORCAN's 2008-09 reported at prisons across Canada says Parkes, “especially because in annual report states that farms had Stories! and the US over the past year, other instances, the courts have lost $4.1 million that year. Prison The Dominion / Media Co-op including work stoppages and ruled that full collective bargaining farm supporters, including prison- has a budget to pay two hunger strikes. protection and labour rights do not ers, correction workers, prisoner contributors each month. "Prisoners are tremendously need to be extended in every case justice activists and community resourceful organizers, despite the to all people.” members cited the role of the Priority goes to: huge barriers they face [such as] A lack of labour rights for farms in providing local, fresh food • Those who have previously censorship, isolation, lack of funds prisoners leaves inmates suscep- to prisons, and in providing mean- contributed [and] retribution by staff/admin- tible to exploitation in the face ingful work for prisoners. • News pieces istration," says Sara Falconer, a of prison expansion. According Closures were completed in • Stories with a Canadian angle prisoner justice activist involved to Parliamentary Budget Officer, 2011, despite opposition. with the prisoner-edited zine, Cer- We are looking for stories about: tain Days: Freedom for Political • Climate debt Prisoners Calendar. “We need to raise prisoners' voices in our • Education In some cases, inmates have everyday lives.” • G8/G20 also been able to turn to the courts • Co-operatives and economic to access the rights and freedoms —Sarah Falconer alternatives they have been denied. In the 1993 • The economic crisis and the case Sauve v. Canada, the courts working class struck down laws that stripped Kevin Page, CSC will require at For Falconer, prisoner solidar- • Gender and queer issues prisoners of the right to vote. least an additional $3.5 billion in ity like that demonstrated around • Indigenous peoples issues Prisoners have also argued, with funding in order to address the the closure of prison farms will • NGOs some success, for the right to legal increases in inmates due to the be essential to successful prisoner • Tar sands counsel in disciplinary hearings 2010 Truth in Sentencing Act, resistance. • Culture and the arts and fought arbitrary transfers which limits the credit a judge "There have been some inspi- • Radical disability politics and disciplinary measures such as can give an inmate for time served rational groups over the years... • Humour segregation. before sentencing. Page estimates but this kind of organizing can’t • Underreported stories “Imprisonment and engage- that the Federal government really take off without outside sup- • Technology ment with the criminal justice would need to build two low- port—otherwise it’s easily silenced system correlates to poverty and security facilities with 250 cells by the prison administration," says To pitch an article, video or other forms of social disadvantage, each, six medium-security facilities Falconer. “Outside labour unions photo essay, create a Media and even if it doesn’t, it is still a with 600 cells each, four high- also have good cause to support Co-op account (it’s free) and fill group of people that has human security facilities with 400 cells prisoners in these struggles—in out the form here: rights. It is still important that each and one multi-level-security Wisconsin and elsewhere, union www.mediacoop.ca/pitch our society is held accountable for facility with 400 cells. The federal workers have been replaced by how it treats them,” says Dr. Debra Bill C-10, known commonly as prisoners. For information on how to Parkes, an Associate Professor of the omnibus crime bill, will further "We need to raise prisoners' pitch: Law at the University of Mani- drive prison expansion through the voices in our everyday lives and www.dominionpaper.ca/write toba who has written substantially use of mandatory, minimum sen- movements—from labour unions on prisoner rights and why it is tences and increases in the number to schools to community groups For more info, contact important prisoners have access to of criminal offences. to families," she says. "Those of us [email protected] the courts. Prison expansion also allows on the outside have the resources “Groups [such as prisoners] for a larger inmate workforce. and relative freedom to spread the The Dominion currently pays a that don’t always have access to Prisoners are assigned to word about the conditions prison- flat rate of $100 for accepted the political process and to making work programs in their correc- ers are facing and what actions articles. Stories are 750 or 1,500 change through that need some tional plans. A correctional plan they want us to take." words. Deadline for pitches are avenue to address [the] rights is an outline of a program that the 1st of each month. abuses that often happen when determines the work, training and Kaley Kennedy is a journalist and you have a majority making rules activity for an inmate’s sentence. activist living in Halifax, Nova and laws [that] affect the unpopu- Inmates have little ability to refuse Scotia. 8 Canadian News The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Saying No to CSIS Groups launch campaign of non-co-operation with Canadian spy agency by Tim McSorley

MONTREAL—Nearly 70 groups across Canada have joined a cam- paign to no longer co-operate with the work of Canada's national spy agency, and are calling on others to join them. The organizations represent a broad swath of society, cover- ing such diverse issues as migrant rights, anti-war organizing, women's rights, social welfare, international solidarity, unions and community media. As representa- tives from several organizations laid out at a press conference in Montreal on Sunday, they share the belief that the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) targets political organiza- tions in Canada and sows fear and suspicion each time they knock on someone's door. Coalition groups are urging their members to not interact with CSIS agents should they be approached. This includes answer- ing questions or even listening Nearly 70 groups have signed on to a national non-cooperation with CSIS campaign, launched in Montreal. to what the agents have to say. Representatives from some of the participating organizations were there: (L to r) Marie-Eve Lamy of the People's Legally, Canadian citizens can Commission; Dolores Chew of the South Asian Women's Community Centre; Francis Lagacé, second VP of the Conseil refuse to speak or even listen to central du Montréal métropolitain du Confédération des syndicats nationaux; Amy Darwish of Tadamon!; and Jaggi Singh Tim McSorley CSIS agents; for others, the coali- of Solidarity Across Borders. tion suggests only interacting with a growing number of accounts non-collaboration if visited by have a tradition where people feel CSIS with a lawyer present. of unannounced visits by CSIS CSIS." they have no other option but "Visits [by CSIS] are meant agents to people's homes in Now two years later, while to comply with police and the to create psychological profiles, the lead-up to the Vancouver the visits have diminished in authorities. And we know from to instill distrust and to create Olympics and the G20 meeting in frequency, their impacts remain. our experience that CSIS uses fear, tensions within groups and com- Toronto, both held in 2010. Representatives from Montreal's sowing seeds of mistrust, turning munities,” said Marie-Ève Lamy, While the PCN and other South Asian Women's Commu- people one against the other." a spokesperson for the People's organizations were already familiar nity Centre (SAWCC), migrant That history of sowing Commission Network, which has with CSIS' tactics—visits from the rights group Solidarity Across divisions has been apparent for spearheaded the campaign. Lamy spy agency were nothing new—the Borders, Tadamon! (which focuses decades in the labor movement, added that the coalition believes renewed and more widespread on international solidarity in the according to Francis Lagacé of the visits from CSIS agents also aim visits caused concern, especially Middle East, particularly with Pal- CSN. Canadian security agencies to aggravate divisions among since stories were surfacing of estinians), and the Central Com- have had a history of infiltrat- groups and individuals, discourage CSIS agents appearing at people's mittee of Metropolitan Montreal ing labor and social movements, participation in social movements workplaces, and questioning of the Confédération des Syndi- he said, pointing to Marc-André and isolate individual activists or family members and neighbours of cats Nationaux, the largest regional Boivin who infiltrated and spied community members—actions people involved in anti-Olympic council of Quebec's second largest on the CSN for 15 years for the that do not actually make people and anti-G20 organizing. union, all spoke about how they RCMP and CSIS, as well as any safer. Such visits can be destabiliz- are advising members to no longer the spy agency's targeting of the The idea for the coalition ing and frightening, said Lamy. collaborate with CSIS agents. Canadian Union of Postal Work- came about when members of the "People don't know their rights "We feel that CSIS is preying ers in the lead up to the 1991 People's Commission Network towards secret services, given that on our community's insecuri- postal workers strike. (PCN), which organizes around all their activities are secret. From ties, vulnerabilities,” said Dolores Most concerning, said questions of abuse in Canada's that came the idea of a commu- Chew, of the SAWCC. “The Legacé, is the agency's history of anti-terror laws, began hearing nity notice suggesting complete countries we come from already making something out of nothing: The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Canadian News 9 "They don't know the dif- only Israel's Mossad, but also the According to Darwish, the society into sectors such as gov- ference between organizing and Mukhabarats or secret police of fact that CSIS is mandated to ernment “allies” and “adversaries,” conspiring. [...] [CSIS officers] Egypt, Syria and Morocco,” Dar- collect information about the as revealed in recent government collect info, and once they hear our wish explained. “This can not only influence of foreign interests on documents. answers, imagine that we know cause complications for people domestic activities in Canada Such heavy-handedness and 'something,' something on we- when they travel overseas, but can provides a pretext for unfairly political labeling may come to don't-know-what. They imagine also put community members and targeting groups, particularly those backfire, though, said Lamy. She that it's useful info, they create their families at risk.” who support “national liberation said the Conservative govern- plot, they continue to interview In mid-February, 2012, the struggles or anti-colonial move- ment's continued attempts to more and more people and they Canadian Press reported that the ments abroad.” equate dissent with criminality will create a climate of fear and suspi- Conservative government has qui- She characterized CSIS' lead to the label of “radical” being cion between people." etly given the green light for CSIS definition of what constitutes applied to a growing number of CSIS was involved in gather- to use edvidence obtained under Canadian interests and what poses groups from wide range of society. ing information on protests, along torture in certain situations. a national security risk as “very The result, she believes, will be that with the RCMP and other law “the feeling of solidarity will grow enforcement agencies, in the lead- larger and larger, because the label up to the Toronto G20 meetings [of “radical”] will be stuck to more and protests. Of the 17 people “The countries we come from already have than anarchists or anti-capitalists eventually charged with conspiracy a tradition where people feel they have no or Indigenous movements, but will following those investigations, 11 be applied to a variety of groups saw their charges dropped, and other option but to comply with police. We that work on questions of social of the six facing jail-time, none know from our experience that CSIS uses aid, welfare, even women.” were found guilty of the original The ultimate goal of this conspiracy charges. fear, sowing seeds of mistrust.” new coalition, and the ongoing Concerns about CSIS' campaign against cooperating actions are not confined to —Dolores Chew, South Asian Women's with CSIS, the speakers said, is Canada's borders either. Singh, Community Centre to build a greater capacity for Chew and Amy Darwish of self-defense within communities Tadamon! all warned that the spy when faced with harassment or agency's actions abroad should interrogation from the spy agency. make Canadians think twice about The result of CSIS' actions, narrow” and “influenced by politi- “[This campaign] is done in the cooperating with them. the coalition alleges, is a chilling cal priorities and interests.” spirit of support and understand- “It's important to recognize effect on anyone who considers “In fact, even the Security ing and dialogue,” said Singh. “It's that CSIS is not our friend,” said joining a social movement, getting Intelligence and Review Commit- trying to build community-based Singh. “We can look to rendi- involved in community organizing, tee, which is CSIS' own oversight trust between our different groups tions to torture, through cases like or speaking out publicly on issues body, has claimed that CSIS has a and it's there that we can provide Abdullah Almalki or Maher Arar contrary to the federal govern- regrettable attitude that support- proper security versus any kind of [or] the treatment of Omar Khadr ment's concerns. ing Arab causes can be suspicious,” threat.” at Guantanamo, where he was “[CSIS' actions] creates a she said. To that end, the coali- interrogated by CSIS, and they we climate of fear and insecurity, Domestic activities also raise tion will continue to approach complicit in his torture there.” so people stop wanting to get questions of the agency's impar- groups across Canada to join the Almalki and Arar both faced involved in community organizing tiality and whether its actions can campaign against cooperating with rendition, detention and torture in of any kind because they feel it be seen as separate from political CSIS, as well as share information Syria based on suspect information will attract unnecessary attention; priorities, said Singh. on what people should do if they gathered by CSIS and provided to it creates a chilling effect,” said “The surveillance of Indig- or others in their community are the Syrian government. Khadr was Chew who added that the impact enous communities is one example approached by the service. Lamy arrested at age 15 by US soldiers doesn't just stop with the peopel among many showing that CSIS also said that an annual march in Afghanistan in 2001 and has who receive visits. "There are many does not play a neutral role. [...] against what is seen as CSIS' been detained in the Guantanamo people who would like to be here It's highly politicized and the state myriad abuses could be in the Bay prison ever since. There are from my community but who determines who the enemies are,” works for the future. allegations he has been tortured won't come forward. You don't he said. “And historically, the very “[We want to make] sure this while in custody, and human speak out for your rights generally; origins of policing in Canada, the gets out across the country and rights groups say that as a minor it creates fear, intimidation.” Northwest Mounted Police and that there are clusters and nodes in he should have been treated as a CSIS has defended it's eventually the RCMP, was to quell every city and town that are get- child soldier under the Geneva actions in the past, saying that native rebellions and was in the ting endorsements and breaking Convention. their investigations are necessary service of Canadian colonialism.” that fear of CSIS,” said Singh. Despite these incidents, to ensure the safety of the Cana- Echoes of this can be seen information sharing between dian public and for our national today, panelists said, in the govern- Tim McSorley is a Dominion editor CSIS and international intelli- security and interests. CSIS, ment's use of terms like “enemy and member of the Montreal Media gence agencies known or suspected though, is not charged with setting of the government” in internal Co-op. to use torture continues. those interests, leading some to documents, publicly characterizing “It maintains intelligence question to what degree changes environmental groups as “radicals,” Disclosure: The Dominion editorial sharing agreements with 147 in the political wind can impact as Natural Resource Minister Joe collective has endorsed the PCN's other agencies, including not their investigations. Oliver recently did, or dividing non-co-operation campaign. 10 The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Caitlin Crawshaw

Hogtown, Manitoba An investigation into one factory's radical impact on labour and the environment in a prairie town

by Sheldon Birnie MB, is the largest such plant in rate at Maple Leaf was well over Canada. Employing over 2,200 100 per cent. To satisfy its need for BRANDON, MB—The meatpack- people, it is the primary economic labourers and to reduce turnover, ing industry once provided thou- driver for the booming “Wheat the plant began recruiting work- sands of Canadian workers with a City.” By all accounts, Maple ers from abroad. Maple Leaf ’s decent living wage. Thanks in part Leaf's facility, opened in 1999, is Brandon facility now employs over to globalization the industry now a modern, world-class process- 2,200 hourly, unionized workers, employs far fewer people at wages ing plant. The facility expanded the majority of whom are either that have essentially been frozen in 2008 increasing its process- temporary foreign workers or new since the mid-1980s. These days, ing capacity to over 85,000 hogs residents who have passed through many meatpacking employees are a week, totaling over 4 million the foreign worker program. temporary foreign workers who annually. Yet despite its impressive “When the turnover was must sign restrictive contracts size and modernity, the facility has really high, my understanding with their employer for a chance struggled with retaining workers is that it was in the early stages at attaining Canadian citizenship. as the work is hard, repetitive and of the plant, and there’s a lot of Maple Leaf Consumer Foods’ undesirable for many. growing pains that happen with hog processing plant in Brandon, In 2003, the annual turnover that,” explains Blake Caruthers, The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Features 11 Communications Officer with what kind of socks I wore, my feet ing plants aimed to drastically positions. Taking inflation into UFCW Local 832, representing would freeze, standing in one spot increase profits on the backs of account, wages are lower now than the workers at Maple Leaf. “Once all the time. You couldn’t walk unionized workers. Plant owners they were in 1986. they started using the temporary around to warm them up, you followed the lead of their US The meatpacking industry foreign worker program, people could rock or maybe take one step counterparts, who—through reor- itself, like many other indus- were staying and making Brandon to the side and back.” ganization, hostile takeovers and tries in Canada, has turned to their home.” Mann remembers shift pre- other extreme tactics—reduced globalization to fill demand for The annual turnover rate miums being used at the plant as or eliminated many of the gains workers. Since the introduction has been reduced to below 100 incentives to combat absenteeism. made by workers since the Second of the “temporary foreign worker per cent, due in part to the hiring If a worker showed up on time World War. Albertan meatpackers program,” Maple Leaf has success- contracts that temporary foreign every day for an entire month, responded with a series of strikes fully recruited workers abroad by workers and many immigrant they would receive an extra dollar which led to job cuts, lowered offering “fast-tracked” immigrant workers are required to sign. In per hour worked. Shift premiums wages and reduced benefits. status to temporary workers who order to qualify for fast-tracked still exist but Mann sees the terms In 1986, Peter Pocklington, complete their initial contract landed immigrant status, tempo- for getting this financial bonus as former owner of Gainers meat- with the company, and who agree rary foreign workers must agree to to sign on to a contract extension extend their six month contracts as landed immigrants. for another two years at Maple To accommodate these Leaf. new workers, UFCW Local 832 “You have a more or less has pushed to have the collec- captive labour force, based on tive bargaining agreement and immigration,” says Joe Dolecki, workplace information available professor of environment and to workers in four languages: economics at Brandon University. English, Spanish, Mandarin and “It [is] much the same as the old Ukrainian. “It was the first of its indentured servitude model.” kind in Canada,” Caruthers says of Many of the jobs at Maple Leaf in the collective agreement. “You’ve Brandon are unskilled positions, got to give Maple Leaf credit for with starting wages hovering that, because it was not a hard around a dollar or two above the bargaining issue with them. They provincial minimum of $10 per understand the value of keeping hour, totalling approximately their employees, our members, $19,000 a year. According to informed of their rights, and they Caruthers, skilled labourers at the realized that the better everybody plant can earn as much as $18 to understands the collective agree- start, not including shift premiums The Maple Leaf plant was temperature controlled, and often so cold it is ment, the better the workforce.” impossible for workers to keep their feet warm, according to former workers. offered to employees. Caitlin Crawshaw While the UFCW has been In addition to the relatively successful—and groundbreaking low wages, the work conditions unrealistic for most workers, espe- packing and the Edmonton Oilers, —in securing rights for its foreign are far from ideal. “The work is cially those with young families or told Alberta Report, “The unions members, temporary foreign not only hard,” says Dolecki, “it’s those who are single parents. “Say are very self-serving.” At a time workers at other work places in physically debilitating for people.” if you missed one day or [were late when union workers were paid Canada are still without the rights “It was pretty shitty work for] 15 minutes one day because around $1800 a month he said, “In and protections of Maple Leaf conditions,” says Geoff Mann, a your kid had a doctor’s appoint- Taiwan, workers get $300 a month employees. Apart from rights to former line worker at Maple Leaf ment, then you’re losing out on for the same job. And Taiwan isn’t translators, temporary foreign in Brandon. “I would stand in that one dollar an hour for 80 that far away by air. [Unions] need workers only recently secured the one spot, literally, for two hours, hours a pay-cheque, for a whole to find out what the new realities right to an expedited arbitration then get a coffee break, then stand month,” he said. of business are.” process in cases where they have in the same spot again for two Martyn Conrad, who worked The “new realities” of global- been terminated, allowing them to hours, and so forth. A pig leg, a at the plant between 2002 and ized business are clear to unions remain in Manitoba until the issue loin, would come down the line, 2003 as a wash bay attendant, in Canada today, as wages and is resolved. Agricultural foreign and I would turn it,” he explains. recalls a lack of employees and benefits have been scaled back workers in southern Ontario “Turn, turn, turn. It was coming workers not showing up on time dramatically since the 1980s. and foreign workers in northern lengthwise, so I would turn it the or at all. “It was my job to clean The strike-breaking tactics used Alberta’s oil patch are often lack- other way, and it would move on and return large, bloodied metal by Peter Pocklington and the ing information about worker's to the next person, who had to do bins that once contained various management at Gainers forced the rights and without many of the a specific cut.” Mann, who is now pig parts, back to the production UFCW to accept major conces- benefits included in the collective 32, kept the job for three months line,” Conrad explained via email. sions at the bargaining table for bargaining agreement between in 2002 before finally quitting to Conrad kept the job, working years to come. Maple Leaf and the UFCW. attend Brandon University. “Your from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday In 1986, hourly wages were feet would just freeze,” Mann to Friday, for almost a year before between $8 and $12 for meat- or the first time in years, recalls as the factory is tempera- finally quitting. packers. Today, at Maple Leaf, Brandon's schools are filling ture-controlled to prevent meat In the early 1980s, manag- hourly wages start at $12 and go up,F houses are being built and from spoiling. “It didn’t matter ers of many Albertan meatpack- to a maximum of $18 for skilled new businesses are opening their 12 Features The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 doors. It is clear that Maple Leaf about contributing to the growth in Manitoba. Hytek’s plant in and fertilizers in a process known Commercial Foods’ Brandon plant of small communities that have Neepawa processes over 900,000 as eutrophication. At the height has positively increased popula- experienced population declines,” hogs annually, the bulk of which of summer, many beaches at the tion growth in the community, explains Dolecki, who has written are Manitoba-raised. In order south end of the lake are closed which has in turn spurred the repeatedly on the subject of ILOs. to process such high numbers of due to health concerns related economy forward at a rate unseen “Almost none of that stuff pans hogs, large meatpacking plants to the algal blooms. Further to for decades. The vacancy rate in out, almost none of those spin-off require a constant and reliable the north, fisheries are negatively Brandon is now less than 0.5 per benefits pan out.” supply of animals. By dealing with impacted when eutrophication cent and the unemployment rate Dolecki argues that large- large-scale producers, hog proces- runs rampant, as it has been in sits at about 2.8 per cent. scale operations tend to replace sors like Maple Leaf are able to Lake Winnipeg for the past 20 Growth comes at a cost that years. is more difficult to quantify. The Degradation of the envi- success of Intensive Livestock ronment as a result of industrial Operations (ILOs)—often dis- agricultural practices is difficult, if paragingly referred to as “factory “You have a more or less captive labour not impossible, to put a price tag farms”—that feed the processing on. While the full cost of remedia- plant in Brandon comes on the force, based on immigration. It [is] much the tion at this point is unknown, it backs of small, rural communities same as the old indentured servitude model.” will undoubtedly be borne by tax already struggling with demo- payers for years to come. graphic change and losses of basic —Prof. Joe Dolecki, Brandon University Currently, the Manitoba gov- services. ernment offers up to $26 million Of the 85,000 hogs processed annually directly to hog farmers to weekly in Brandon, over 60,000 improve manure management, and are sourced from hog producers to reduce the risk of contaminat- in Manitoba, while the rest come smaller independent opera- guarantee their production goals. ing water with excess phosphorus from eastern Saskatchewan. Only tors. This puts further negative However, ILOs, along with other and other pollutants, explained Quebec produces more hogs pressure on rural communities, intensive agricultural practices, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and annually than Manitoba. Today, which are already struggling have been blamed for much of Rural Initiatives in an email. This only 10 to 15 per cent of hogs to survive. Before the policy Lake Winnipeg’s current pollution is provided through the Manure produced in Manitoba are by landscape shifted to favour ILOs problems, as well as pollution in Management Financial Assistance small-scale “traditional” livestock in the 1990s, there were upwards southern Manitoba and the Inter- Program. operators producing less than of 4,000 hog producers in the lake region, where intensive hog “I did an estimate for the 1,000 hogs. A transition from province. Today there are fewer operations are common. Clean Environment Commission small-scale hog production to on the environmental subsidy ILOs began in the 1990s, and has that was involved in hog produc- continued to the point where over tion as of 2005,” recalls Dolecki, 50 per cent of hogs in the province “It was pretty shitty work conditions. I who totalled the estimated cost come from massive ILOs that of clean-up and site reclamation house 5,000 or more hogs. would stand in one spot, literally, for two required to deal with the pollution Critics of ILOs charge that hours, then get a coffee break, then stand in caused by ILOs in Manitoba. “In such large-scale operations have 2004, I estimated it to be between negative social and environmen- the same spot again for two hours.” $125 and $140 million dollars a tal impacts on rural communi- Geoff Mann, former line worker year, while the net income for the ties. Farmers and rural residents — hog production side was about in south western Manitoba at Maple Leaf's Brandon plant $100 million a year. So, if you were concerned about the shift made the hog industry pay the towards ILOs that was taking full cost of clean up and waste place as early as 1999, presenting disposal, the industry would have arguments before the Citizen’s imploded.” Hearing on Hog Production and than 800. “Large barns can be Since the early 1990s, Lake Although The Dominion the Environment. Residents had run be with only a few people,” Winnipeg—Canada’s eighth contacted the senior Human organized the hearing in anticipa- says Dolecki, “because they’re so largest freshwater lake—has faced Resources manager at Maple tion of the opening of Brandon’s heavily mechanized and com- increasing problems with algal Leaf ’s Brandon plant to comment, Maple Leaf plant, the results puterized. This does not enhance blooms. Algal blooms are fueled Maple Leaf refused to participate being presented to the province in the possibilities of using that as a by high availability of nitrogen in an interview. early 2000. catalyst for the restoration of rural and phosphorus in the aquatic “Often you’ll find in rural populations.” environment. These substances Sheldon Birnie is a writer, editor, Manitoba, when ILOs are Maple Leaf isn’t the only can be introduced into the waters and song & dance man living in proposed, a great deal of hype large-scale hog processing plant through the addition of sewage Winnipeg, MB. The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Gender 13 Scoring for Information Police infiltration tactics viewed as a violation of women's bodies and rights by Kelly Pflug-Back At least two of these police spies have fathered children with an TORONTO—With the rise of activist while undercover, and one modern technologies, most of us of them, Jim Boyling, even married are at least peripherally aware that the mother, according to Britain’s our lives are becoming increasingly Guardian newspaper. monitored. We casually brush away In Canada, allegations have the uncanny feelings conjured by arisen against a police officer who Google ads culling search terms had sexual relations with women from our emails, and gently ignore in the community he infiltrated the bubble cameras that watch during the lead-up to the 2010 the perimeters of offices, schools G20 Summit in Toronto, activ- and public spaces in metropolitan ists in southern Ontario told The areas. But state surveillance pen- Dominion. etrates even more intimate aspects Shailagh Keaney, an activ- of life than your email inbox and ist and independent journalist in your child’s schoolyard. Ontario who knew the G20 infil- The use of sexual deception trators, said that gendered biases in intelligence gathering is neither were at play in the tactics used by Caitlin Crawshaw new nor uncommon, said Gary infiltrators, as well as in the actions T. Marx, professor emeritus from of uniformed police during the take advantage of characteristics made public if they do not succeed MIT, Harvard University and protests. that are traditionally stereotyped as in gaining grounds for arrests. the University of Colorado, and “Women's bodies are per- being feminine, such as compas- Most of the people who have had author of Protest and Prejudice and ceived as less violent but more sion, nurturing and emotional interactions with infiltrators may Undercover: Police Surveillance in violate-able," she said. "Men were receptivity. never find out the individual's true America. generally beaten more brutally “That, in itself, is gendered identity. While agencies generally have [during the G20] but women violence,” she said. “This is coer- The best devices for prevent- rules against sexual deception in were routinely strip searched cion, this is manipulation, and this ing sexual misconduct by police are intelligence gathering, and will be without even having their pockets is rape—the criminalization of transparency, pluralism of powers careful not to document instances checked.” dissent is the only reason it is seen in the state and continual institu- of it, supervisors will imply that For marginalized women as acceptable.” tional review, Professor Marx said. agents should use sex in order to whose communities have histori- Like in any war, the women Human rights law may be an gain intelligence. The secretive cally been harmed by governmen- of subordinate groups—such as excellent emerging tool for seeking nature of undercover operations tal powers, the thought of having Muslims, Arabs, activists and redress in cases like these, which presents a roadblock to any kind of been intimate with someone Indigenous peoples—find the have no clear precedent. Judiciary future accountability, he said. who represents state author- oppression they already face on law also contains tools for pursu- “What's the difference ity is profoundly violating, said the basis of gender exacerbated ing accountability, such as suing between having sex through threat Jen Meunier, who identifies as by their status as targets of state perpetrators for mental harm. or coercion and having sex through Algonquin and a womyn of mixed repression. For Meunier and Sauve, the lies?” descents. “Sexual consent means Sauve views the use of sex in solution for activist communities Recent stories of police being fully aware of the circum- intelligence gathering as part of involves a stronger acknowledge- infiltration appearing in the news stances, being aware of everything the broader historical picture of ment of the gendered aspects of have drawn this scenario out of the that is necessary for your safety.” gender violence, often used as a state repression. realm of James Bond fantasies and Indigenous communities in tool of control and domination. “We need to collectively into public discourse. Canada have understood sur- “This contains a certain depth address gender issues and heal our Eight women in the United veillance and infiltration to be a of psychological warfare that is vulnerabilities all the time—not Kingdom are currently pursuing a concrete reality for many decades particularly pernicious,” she said. just when something bad hap- human rights lawsuit against the now, Meunier said. “You can destroy an entire culture pens." Metropolitan Police, after they Rachelle Sauve, a cook and by raping its women.” discovered that five of their former community organizer in Peterbor- According to Professor Marx, Kelly Pflug-Back is a poet, writer, romantic partners were undercover ough, ON, who knows people who the role of secrecy is the key struc- student and activist. You can find agents. These cops were assigned were affected by direct interac- tural enabler of sexual misconduct her newest stuff in upcoming issues of to spy on environmental activ- tions with infiltrators, believes in undercover operations. In addi- Goblin Fruit, Ideomancer Specula- ists starting in the mid-1980's. undercover agents strategically tion, cases of infiltration are rarely tive Fiction and Iconoclast. 14 Canadian News The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81

Kristyna Balaban Hundreds of Torontonians took to the streets—and to the City Council chambers—to protest proposed budget cuts to municipal services.

the 250-seat gallery. heard at City Hall. We wanted During the session, several them to hear that Toronto is Battle of the Budget observers shouted about the police against the cuts.” repression outside, while others Later, a small contingent Police crack heads as service cuts chanted “stop the cuts, save good of demonstrators marched to 52 jobs” in response to the results Division, where several arrest- reversed in Toronto of a vote on the privatization of ees were being held. One of the by Justin Saunders chambers for the vote; almost custodial services. They were forc- men being held, Derek Soberal, ten times that number remained ibly ejected from council. “This is appeared for a bail hearing at TORONTO—Toronto residents outside, prevented from entering just a bunch of elites who claim to Old City Hall on January 18. The are breathing slightly easier after by a line of police officers mixed represent us, but they don't bother remainder of those arrested were a long-awaited City Council vote with City Hall security. Attempts to consult us,” said one, to applause released from the station. on large cuts to core city services to enter the building for the from many in the observation area. Many activists are wondering took place on January 17. The cuts, vote were met with violence, as a She later told the Media Co-op: whether tonight's events constitute proposed as part of the 2012 city number of individuals were hit and “Security and Toronto Police a victory or a defeat. Although the budget, have been looming ever pepper-sprayed. A small horse- brought us down the elevator to feared cuts to libraries, social ser- since Mayor Rob Ford manufac- mounted riot squad moved on the the first floor. Elise [Thornburn, vices and other core services were tured a budget crisis upon taking crowd. Several arrests were made, of Stop the Cuts] started to move averted, the loss of jobs within city office. people were beaten and choked toward the main exit, instead of ranks and privatization measures In a major blow to Mayor and an elderly man was thrown to the side exit that the police were still culled millions from the city Rob Ford's austerity agenda, many the ground. At least one person taking us to. Police grabbed her, budget. of the most significant cuts were was taken to St. Michael's hospital. and she went limp. They dragged The cancellation of some of reversed, in large part thanks to a Aiden Hennings from Stop her down the hall to the door.” the cuts is testament to months surprising move from the council's the Cuts described the scene: Council Chair Frances of mobilization by community centre, led by Josh Colle. An “I was at the front, trying to Nunziata, who directed security to groups, labour and many ad-hoc omnibus motion, which used some get into City Hall. [The police] remove the protestors, had a low committees across the city who financial sleight-of-hand to make started grabbing people outside threshold for any perceived disrup- came together to save specific city increases to the budget in the the barricades. I was grabbed by tions from the floor, threatening services in their communities. sectors threatened by the proposed my hair and they tried to drag to clear chambers after a few boos Colle acknowledged the impact cuts, was passed by a vote of 23 to me through their lines, but other were heard from the gallery. of these efforts, saying the budget 21. Colle defended his position in people took me back. About five As the motions wrapped had generated "more discussion an interview after the vote. “We minutes later I was pepper-sprayed up, City Hall's head of security amongst the public and council- made tough decisions...it's not from a foot away—the officer announced that councillors would lors" than he'd ever seen before. reckless spending. We settled on smiled while he did it, and my two have to exit from the side and The fight against Ford's aus- a prudent budget that was fiscally little sisters were punched in the rear doors of the building, as the terity agenda will likely continue, responsible and addressed some face by police as well.” Toronto Police were “currently with a near-certain lockout of of the concerns that people had “I didn't expect it to be one of dealing” with the protest. An CUPE 416 coming in February, as brought up.” 'those kinds of rallies'” said Ryan Occupy Toronto contingent was the union refuses to accept their Deputy Mayor Doug Holy- of Occupy Toronto. “[The police] also present outside, setting up jobs being farmed out to private day tried to play down the defeat, threw a lot of people around. They several tents in the middle of the contractors. noting the narrow margin by should have just let us in; they said square, which were later moved to which the votes on several of the they wouldn't because it was such the boundary of city and provincial —with files from Megan Kinch most crucial cuts were defeated. a big group.” There was, however, land to “avoid a trespass bylaw.” “It's far from the end of the room in council chambers for Hennings was upset about Justin Saunders is an information world,” he said. more people, with a large, sparsely- the police response to the rally: technologist and journalist based in About 200 people were in populated standing area behind “We wanted to have our voices Toronto. The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Media Analysis 15 The Honorable Voices of Four Women Killed in Kingston Reflections on the Shafia murder trial by Arash Azizi four counts of first-degree murder. Police uncovered damning state- TORONTO— Somewhere in ments, primarily from Moham- This photo from Sahar Shafia's cellphone, which was recovered from the crime Courtesy of the prosecution the calm setting of an Islamic mad Shafia, the patriarch and scene. shows Rona Mohammad Amir and Sahar. cemetery in Laval, Quebec, lie murderer-in-chief of this plot, four headstones belonging to four which recorded no sorrow. female population, known both by millions of Muslims around the women; all members of a single But as Shafia’s statements for their university degrees and world as a backward tribal code family. Neatly arranged next to fill the newspapers, what we liberal fashion sensibilities. Her that has nothing to do with the each other, they share similar don't hear is the story of the four own polygamous father, a retired religion. color, style and design. A Farsi victims. Shafia said that they had colonel, had welcomed the waves Never resting, the eldest gender-specific religious title to be murdered because of their of modernization. Rona could girl Zainab, 19, made recurring for the deceased (Marhoome) is "treason" in supposedly violating wear whatever she wanted and was attempts to escape with a Paki- prefixed to their names. One verse his "honor," and that of Islam. fond of cheering for her favorite stani boy whom she loved but who of Koran, in Arabic, decorates was not tolerated. Sahar, 17, loved all four gravestones: “Yea, enter nothing like taking cellphone thou My Heaven!” But it was As Mohammed Shafia’s statements fill the pictures of herself and her large their mortal lives, the very hellish newspapers, what we don't hear is the story beautiful eyes. And Geeti, 13, existence that they had to endure, never got a chance to go beyond which is more telling. Who were of the four victims. her first teen year. these people? And how did they, These voices of resistance all originally from Afghanistan, are the true honorable voices in end up buried, thousands of What he saw as betrayal, however, basketball teams in the stadiums. this story, a story which, when kilometers away, in the serene sur- was a brilliant story of resistance Those days ended in 1981 with an finally told, will defy all clichés roundings of a town in Quebec? and expression. arranged marriage to a young man about Afghan women. Both those The primary details of the A breathtaking exhibit in from a rich family, who gave her that the patriarch Shafia had in case were always clear from the this trial was a journal kept by an extravagant wedding ceremony mind, and those apparent in the outset. In Summer 2009, three Rona Mohammad Amir, 52, at Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel. sensationalized racist accounts sisters aged 13, 17, 19 and their the first wife of Shafia, who was One would need a novel to that have filled the newspapers in 52-year old stepmother, were discarded for her infertility and delve more into the story of how this country. found drowned in a car in the depths of the Rideau Canal. It was Arash Azizi has spent countless always unlikely that it was an acci- These voices of resistance are the true hours covering the Shafia case for dent that had led to their deaths. honorable voices in this story, a story which, Shahrvand, a Toronto-based Persian Now, we know much more. publication. The police investigation led to the when finally told, will defy all clichés about largest trial in Kingston's history; Afghan women. it took over three months, was conducted in English, French and These two articles were produced Persian, and involved summoning later murdered along with the this ‘family’ found new members; by the Toronto Media Co-op 58 witnesses. The accused were the three children of the second wife. how it traveled around the world parents and brother of the three Written in a beautiful Persian to Pakistan, India, the UAE, murdered sisters. Over the course prose, it describes an educated Australia and finally Canada; how of the trial, those in the courtoom woman, who was just 20 when the the very-rich Shafia (whose busi- were able to form a picture not 1979 revolution signaled an era in ness included buying a shopping only of the gruesome murder, but which a proliferation of woman's centre in Montreal for $2 million) of the real lives of Geeti, Sahar, rights, and other social progressive decided to run his family accord- policies, took place in Afghani- ing to his own sick notion of Zainab and Rona. For more grassroots coverage stan. The Kabul in which she “Islam,” a notion that (as Kurdish- In the last days of January out of Toronto check out spent her youth was called "Paris Iranian Feminist scholar, Shah- 2012, the jury returned a guilty toronto.mediacoop.ca verdict for all three accused on of the East," a city with a young rzad Mojab testified) is discarded 16 Canadian News The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81

The Justice for our Communities March took over the hot streets of central Toronto last June, as part of anti-G20 activities that spanned an entire week. Murray Bush/Flux Photos G20 Fallout Continues Legal battles and jail time continue months after showdown in Toronto by Shailagh Keaney Henderson is in Vanier prison on charges from the anti-G20 [$5,000], assaulting a police officer, in Milton, ON, while the other protests, to political prisoners and disguise with intent, possession of GUELPH, ON—Though the G20 three were sent to Penetanguish- prisoners in struggle, we are still stolen property under [$5,000]” summit in Toronto is long over, ene Central North Correctional with you,” reads a statement put and possession of a dangerous communities organizing against Centre. out by the 17 co-accused in late weapon, a support call-out for austerity continue to feel the sting “Let people know that I’m November. Horton reads. of state repression. Of the over not being wrecked by prison,” In addition to this “main “Since the charging of six 1,100 people arrested in conjunc- Lankin told The Dominion from conspiracy group,” others are community organizers and 11 tion with protests against the G20 dropped charges, [Horton] and meetings in Toronto, 66 still face others being charged with ‘on-the- legal battles, house arrest and jail ground’ offenses such as mischief time. “They violated my right to not be subject to and assault, face an even heavier On November 22, 11 of the likelihood of being scapegoated 17 people facing a complex set arbitrary detention. I was basically under by the court, in an effort to justify of conspiracy charges had their the same kind of conditions as someone the billion dollar G20 budget and charges dropped. As part of a plea the ensuing violence of police,” bargain, the other six will serve accused of manslaughter.” reads Horton’s support statement. more jail time. —Kelly Pflug-Back, G20 activist The Dominion was unable to reach Leah Henderson and Peter Horton or his support team before Hopperton are in the course this article went to print. of serving their sentences of Ryan Rainville was charged 10 months and five-and-a-half jail. “It’s something to get through still facing G20-related charges with “on-the-ground” offences and months, respectively, while Erik and I’m looking forward to and possible jail time, including pleaded to three counts of mischief Lankin and Adam Lewis were continuing to organize when I get George Horton, Ryan Rainville, over $5,000 in early December. released in early 2012 after serving out.” Kelly Pflug-Back, Greg Rowley, In his statement to the court, their sentences of three months Also as part of the group Emomotimi Azorbo, Julian Ichim, Rainville insisted on his rejec- and three-and-a-half months plea deal, Mandy Hiscocks was Dan Kellar and Byron Sonne, tion of the colonial, racist court each. All these sentences are in sentenced to serve 16 months and among others. system. “I have plead guilty to the addition to time spent in pre-trial Alex Hundert is expecting to serve Horton, from Peterborough, destruction of state property, and detention—a period of as much an additional 13.5 months. faces “a string of charges includ- while awaiting trial and sentenc- as 70 days in the case of Lankin. “To those in jail or still ing three counts of mischief over ing I have spent more than three The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Canadian News 17 months in jail, nine months on According to Pflug-Back, a the Ontario government. posted his account of Schowan’s house arrest, and two months plainclothes homicide detective On February 6, the crown impacts on the community during living under strict bail conditions,” made an appearance at each of her prosecutor dropped all charges the publication ban that forbade he told the court. “I have been court dates. “The police were really against Azorbo, saying that pursu- the publishing of identifying beaten and condemned for my taking [my case] personally. They ing the conviction was "unneces- information relating to undercover political beliefs, and I have served had bought into this portrayal of sary." officers. enough time in punishment for me as being this rabid cop hater. It On December 13, Ster- In his blog, Ichim describes the damage that I have accepted hurt their feelings, you know? You ling Stutz, who had her charges his story of befriending the responsibility for. It is time now have to have a little compassion.” withdrawn as part of the “main undercover, referring to Schowan for the state to set me free,” he only by his pseudonym. Two days said. after publishing the blog post, Rainville was sentenced to Ontario Provincial Police officers four months of house arrest at the arrived at Ichim’s house with an Sagatay Toronto men’s shelter, on “Let people know that I’m not being wrecked order that he withdraw his post. top of the time that he has already by prison. It’s something to get through Ichim refused. “I wasn’t caught at a served. The Crown is currently protest for causing trouble, but was appealing his sentence. and I’m looking forward to continuing to sitting home quietly telling my “I know at the core of my gut organize when I get out.” story on the internet,” he told the that I didn’t do anything wrong,” crowd at the rally. Rainville told The Dominion. “This —Eric Lankin, G20 activist Dan Kellar is in a similar sit- is how the state is going to react,” uation as Ichim. He faces charges he added. “We need to band after publishing a blog post on together and stay solid, even in the www.peaceculture.org. He is facing face of it.” two counts of criminal defama- Still ongoing is the trial of Greg Rowley is also charged conspiracy group”, stood in front tion and one count of counsel to Kelly Pflug-Back, whose original with “on the ground” offenses, of Old City Hall in Toronto at assault, also stemming from a blog charges included assaulting police but could not be reached by The a support rally and media event post about G20-related incidents. with a weapon and conspiracy, Dominion before this article went for defendant Julian Ichim. “The The charge of counsel to assault though these charges have been to print. police spent over a billion dollars relates to one particular line in dropped. Emomotimi Azorbo, who is on policing for the G20, they the post that reads “spit in [the “There was nothing to sug- described as an “apolitical person,” arrested over a thousand people, undercover’s] footsteps and scoff at gest that I assaulted a police officer was confronted by police at the and what they got was a hand- his existence if you see him.” with a weapon,” Pflug-Back told G20 as he was crossing the street. ful of charges,” Stutz told the Kellar is still awaiting the The Dominion. “They just wanted Azorbo, who is deaf, did not hear crowd that had gathered for the resolution of his charges. to slap that on to my case as a the police were shouting at him. rally. “These arrests were basically Byron Sonne faces charges way to really crack down on me He was then targeted by police for bought with that money.” of possessing explosive substances. and keep me on house arrest.” The security consultant denies She continues to face charges of having malicious intent. Sonne mischief, which she is still waiting first appeared on the police radar to have resolved. “The police spent over a billion dollars on for photographing the G20 While serving more than policing for the G20, they arrested over a security perimeter. The support a month in pre-trial detention, team for Sonne declined a inter- Pflug-Back was denied medical thousand people, and what they got was view request with The Dominion, treatment for her chronic poly- a handful of charges. These arrests were explaining that it's proving risky autoimmune disorders, which for them to speak publicly at this include thyroid disease and basically bought with that money.” juncture in the trial. fibromyalgia. “They violated my —Sterling Stutz, G20 activist According to numbers right to access medical care. They released by the Ontario Min- violated my right to freedom of istry of the Attorney General movement,” she told The Domin- in December, of the over 1,100 ion. people arrested at the G20, 330 Following her detention, noncompliance. “There was a bit of Stutz was among those people appeared before the court. Pflug-Back was put under strin- resistance when police handcuffed attending court in support of Of them, 201 had their charges gent house arrest and was forced him because he didn’t know what Ichim, who is facing charges on dismissed or withdrawn. In all, 32 to be under the direct supervision was happening,” Azorbo’s lawyer three counts of disobeying a court people have plead guilty, 39 people of her parents while outside of Howard Morton said in an article order for having posted his per- have seen resolution through the home. Once again, this made published in The Lawyers Weekly. sonal account of interactions with diversion programs, and 34 are access to medical treatment nearly Azorbo was denied an an undercover police officer. still awaiting resolution to their impossible. “They violated my unbiased, non-police sign language The officer operated under charges. right to not be subject to arbitrary translator while in custody. As the the alias “Khalid Mohammad” detention,” said Pflug-Back. “I was charges of assaulting a police offi- (the officer’s real name is Bindo Shailagh Keaney is a writer and basically under the same kind of cer and resisting arrest were being Schowan) as a participant in social community organizer currently based conditions as someone accused of pursued against Azorbo, Morton justice groups for more than a in occupied Neutral territory in manslaughter.” predicted they would “embarrass” year in advance of the G20. Ichim Southern Ontario. 18 International News The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Island Hopping with Emera Barbados is the latest Caribbean island to feel the Emera squeeze by Miles Howe well-informed of BLP's assets and Electricity Services Limited macy. In Barbados, that regulatory net worth. To emerge post-sale (LUCELEC). While Emera’s body is the Free Trade Commis- HALIFAX—On a small island saying that Emera had purchased involvement in St. Lucia seems to sion (FTC). In Nova Scotia, the north of Venezuela, 4,500 kilome- a more valuable company than be developing at a slow pace, the regulatory body is the Utility and tres from Halifax, Barbados Light they thought they had is suspi- situation on Barbados is unravel- Review Board (UARB). and Power (BLP) recently issued cious indeed. ing quickly. In Barbados, Malcolm Gibbs- a news release. Energy use on the This isn't Emera's first In Barbados, public allega- Taitt, founder and director general Caribbean island has hit a low not Caribbean purchase. The com- tions of exorbitant power bills, of Barbados Consumer Research seen since 1974. pany already has a controlling based on incomprehensible Organization, has brought into “Some people are now simply interest in the Grand Bahamas calculations, are running rampant, question the link between the just turning off all the electricity Power Company, the monopoly and representatives from industry FTC and the Barbados Securi- in their homes, especially when service provider to about 20,000 agree. Sir David Seale, chairman ties Commission, the body meant they're not home,” says Carson customers on the island of Grand of RL Seale & Company, one of to regulate the Barbados Stock Cardogan, a Barbadian ratepayer. Bahama. Purchased in 2009, its Barbados's largest rum bottlers, Exchange. Both are chaired by Sir “They're pulling out everything. relationships on the island of has publicly railed against Emera, Neville Nicholls. The term “regula- Every plug. Including the fridge. tory capture,” by which a regula- People are living virtually in the tory agency meant to serve the dark, in order to not pay Barba- “People are turning off all the electricity in common good is instead co-opted dos Light and Power the hefty their homes. People are living virtually in the by private interests, applies here: electricity bills.” one individual is overseeing BLP's While the average Canadian dark, in order to not pay Barbados Light and sale, and also overseeing BLP's might applaud such a downward Power the hefty electricity bills.” requests for rate increases (read: shift in power consumption, this profit). is not a question of Barbadians —Carson Cardogan, Barbadian ratepayer “My problem with the Fair “going green” by choice. It is the Trade Commission is that it does work of Nova Scotia’s Emera, not seem to have the ability to get BLP's new owner. Grand Bahamas have been any- calling the current situation the proper information before it,” Emera, the Nova Scotia- thing but easy. Operation Justice “unacceptable for industry.” Seale says Gibbs-Taitt, “[or] to share based company, moved fast onto Bahamas (OJB), a grassroots has had to divert company money that information with those that the scene in Barbados, purchasing organization, has gathered over towards developing new energy are involved in the process, to the a 38 per cent share in the largely 5,000 signatures from disgruntled infrastructure, and has shifted to extent that we can be reasonably nationally-owned BLP in May customers who have cried foul diesel generators in an effort to get assured that what it is doing in the 2010, and another 41 per cent in over skyrocketing power bills. off the Barbadian grid. names of the people, the consum- January 2011. When shares in OJB's actions forced the Meanwhile, the government, ers, [is something where] you BLP were trading at $12 on the Bahamian government into in an attempt to keep electrical could say, 'This is a job well done.'” Barbados stock market, Emera an ongoing investigation into power flowing into some of the A similar instance of regula- offered BLP shareholders $25 per Emera's business practices, includ- more impoverished homes in Bar- tory capture is at play in Nova share—an offer they could not ing hundreds of allegations of bados, instituted a plan in October Scotia. refuse. A few dissenting voices, on overpricing, “guess-timation,” and 2011, known as Energy Cost Brennan Voegel, former call-in programs and social media destructive power surges. Sarah Mitigation Assistance (ECMA). Energy Coordinator for the Ecol- panels, urged caution against sell- MacDonald, Emera's chief officer The ECMA is a one-off grant of ogy Action Centre, notes that ing off the national power com- in the Caribbean, suggested that $5 million for welfare-recipient Peter Gurnham, largely respon- pany to a foreign interest, but the difficulties in meter-reading were Barbadians, which was created to sible for the UARB's decisions on deal went through unencumbered. related to the fact that over 8,000 offset the global increase in fuel NSPI's rate increase requests, was Later, an investigation by Bahamians did not have a postal costs that are supposedly respon- formerly a lawyer in the service of the Fair Trade Commission address, an allegation that OJB sible for BLP's steady rise in NSPI. (FTC), Barbados' regulatory body, dismisses as a “slap in the face.” power bills. “The major problem is that suggested that BLP shares were OJB is hoping the govern- Before Emera purchased [NSPI] is guaranteed a rate of devastatingly undervalued, and mental investigation is the first BLP, there was no apparent need return...which allows them to should have been priced in the step towards a class-action lawsuit for an emergency-style govern- usurp more money out of Nova $40 to $50 range. against Emera. ment fund for the nation's poorest Scotians,” says Voegel. “They have Writers at “Barbados Under- “They are, in my words, to pay their power bills. to make money, but there's very ground”, one of the nations' most driving the people into poverty. Emera’s electricity rate few industries in the world today read independent media sites, sus- And they are causing people to increases, be it in Nova Scotia, on that still enjoy that enshrined pected something was amiss with lose business,” says Troy Garvey Grand Bahamas or in the Barba- right to profit. And if it were the deal. The FTC, as regulator of OJB. dos, are all approved by a “third- an open market, like it should of BLP's power rates prior to the Emera also owns a 19 per party” regulatory body, and are be, then electricity provided at sale to Emera, would have been cent equity interest in St. Lucia thus granted some veneer of legiti- the lowest cost, with the great- The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 International News 19

More than Snowbird Syndrome: Nova Scotian power company Emera is on a buying spree in the Caribbean, including in the Barbadian capital of Bridgetown. Lisle Warner est degree of efficiency, would be already wholly owns Brunswick If Emera were to involve and their hundreds of out-of-work the product that people would be Pipeline, a 30-inch, 145-kilome- itself heavily with the construction employees—has already become choosing.” tre natural gas pipeline in New of an inter-island gas pipeline, it untenable. Nova Scotians certainly The relationship between the Brunswick. would eliminate one more middle- remember that two of NSPI's UARB, the Nova Scotian govern- Plans for an inter-Caribbean man—the distributor—from its largest industrial clients, prior to ment and NSPI, which Voegel gas pipeline, with gas sourced electricity monopoly in at least massive downsizing and bailouts calls “the golden triangle,” has in the case of Abitibi, and bank- worked well for Emera's top brass. ruptcy in the case of Newpage, Executive salaries and bonuses “They are, in my words, driving the people made very public mention of the have never been higher, with CEO into poverty.” fact that escalating power bills Chris Huskilson taking home over were driving them to ruin. $3 million in 2011. A new corpo- —Troy Garvey, While critics of the two com- rate head office on the waterfront Operation Justice Bahamas panies suggest mismanagement as in Halifax, a structure currently the more likely cause of their dire under construction, is slated to straights, it does beg the question, cost between $30 million and $40 from Tobago, have been brew- two Caribbean nations. Whether in Nova Scotia and beyond: Is million. ing for several years. Venezuelan this gas pipeline materializes and, Emera simply bad for business? Executive salaries and President Hugo Chavez initially more importantly, what its impact bonuses aside, Emera's new-found encouraged a pan-Caribbean oil will be for Emera's Caribbean Miles Howe is an editor with The role as Caribbean power boss pipeline, to run oil from Ven- clients, remain to be seen. Dominion and a member of the begs the question: What exactly ezuela, but the Tobago bid for a “People are crying out every Halifax Media Co-op. is afoot in the islands? Is this a natural gas pipeline appears to day” because of the skyrocket- case of classic Canadian snowbird have won out in the minds of ing power bills in the Barbados, This article was produced by the syndrome? Or is a grander scheme investors. says Carson Cardogan. “They're Halifax Media Co-op. in the works? At the time of writing, there writing letters to the newspapers All of Emera's Caribbean was a flurry of activity in the and the call-in programs. And it's purchases produce the vast major- Tobago project: international having a very deleterious effect on ity of their power by burning oil investors were found after several the lives of many Barbadians.” or diesel —the weakest link in years of relative dormancy. The For the moment, Bahamians Emera's control of the situation. company with the lead in the and Barbadians, and Nova Sco- The company is not in the oil project, Eastern Caribbean Gas tians, find themselves beholden to refinery or shipping business, and Pipeline Company, shares at Emera's bottom line, a situation For more grassroots coverage so is beholden to global market least one member of its board of that to some—such as the pulp out of Halifax check out trends. Emera, however, is in the directors, Dr. Trevor Byer, with mill owned by Abitibi, and the halifax.mediacoop.ca gas pipe building business, and LUCELEC’s board. one formerly owned by NewPage, 20 Environment The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Canadian-owned Mine Fuels Violence in Mexico Residents of San Jose del Progreso deeply divided by Dawn Paley peaceful region. In a press conference fol- SAN JOSE DEL PROGRESO, lowing the police shooting of MEXICO— It's been almost three Vasquez, mine opponents made years since hundreds of people it clear that they see a direct link took direct action to temporarily between Fortuna Silver and the shut down Vancouver-based For- violence. tuna Silver's gold and silver mine “The social and political near Oaxaca City, Mexico. Since conflicts that have ended the then, the neighbouring commu- lives of three people are due to nity of San Jose del Progreso has the appearance of the mining been deeply divided and residents company, without the consent have faced a series of difficult and of the people, and not [due] to sometimes deadly confrontations. the control and power over the Three people have been killed municipality as expressed by so far, most recently, Bernardo various authorities in the state Mendez Vasquez, who was shot government,” reads a statement seven times on January 18, 2012 signed by over a dozen Oaxacan by a municipal police officer. organizations. Locals say municipal authorities The existence of the mining ordered the police to attack resi- project is something that residents dents who were refusing to allow of San Jose del Progreso cannot a new water system to be installed ignore. The main access road into on their land because they feared the town passes directly in front it would be used to supply the of Fortuna’s massive operations, mine with water. complete with the company's own Mine operation came to a power station, offices and a huge two-month halt in 2009 when stockpile of ore, all surrounded by Zapotec community members high chain link fence. from San Jose del Progreso and “In one year [the company] surrounding villages held it for managed to cut the town in half, nearly two months. The blockade to divide the people, and the dis- ended with a massive police raid, pute became present in all spaces: during which demonstrators were in the primary school, in the Bernardo Vásquez Sánchez with documents showing that there was never proper beaten and 23 people were jailed, secondary school, in the kinder- authorization from the community for the new water main to be constructed. some for up to three months. garten, in the health centre, in city Dawn Paley Fortuna has thus far avoided hall, in all of these situations,” said being linked to the violence by Bernardo Vasquez Sanchez, who community members to formally subsequently decided to leave the playing up the fact that people in lives in San Jose and works with request the dissolution of powers parish. San Jose are fighting with each the Co-ordinating Committee of of the municipal government. According to sources in other. CEO Jorge Ganoza has the United Villages of the Ocotlan Sanchez and others are wor- Oaxaca City and San Jose del repeatedly referred to it as “sense- Valley. ried the project might eventually Progreso, a group started by the less” violence. In the centre of the village, become an open pit mine, further mining company, called “San "It is in no way related to which is home to about 1,200 threatening the region’s already Jose in Defense of our Rights,” our activities or involves company people, Sanchez pointed out that fragile water system. Given For- has taken on a paramilitary role personnel, and we really hope that there are two different taxi stands, tuna’s track record, there is reason in the community, intimidating the people of San Jose, with the one used by people in favour of to be worried: Simon Ridgway, opponents of the project. assistance of the state authorities, the mine, and another by those chair of Fortuna’s board of direc- “Things are so broken that will find a long-term solution to who are opposed. tors, was subject to two arrest there’s no other way out, the only this senseless violence,” Ganoza City hall has effectively been warrants in Honduras because way, I think, is that the company told the National Post regarding shut down since January, when of environmental contamination leaves,” said Father Ortiz. the recent killing. municipal authorities and munici- from an open pit mine now owned The mine, known locally by pal police fled after the murder of by Vancouver's Goldcorp Inc. Dawn Paley is a journalist and the name of its subsidiary, Minera Vasquez. Father Martin Garcia Ortiz, co-founder of the Vancouver Media Cuzcatlan, went into produc- “Basically the entire town is a priest in San Jose del Progreso, Co-op. tion in late September 2011. Its divided in two parts, one part that was beaten and kidnapped by opponents maintain that Fortuna has a mayor, and another part that people in favour of the project A longer version of this story was Silver’s mine is the root of social does not have a mayor,” said San- in 2010. He was later jailed and originally published by the Vancou- problems that plague the once chez, who has worked with other then released without charge and ver Media Co-op. The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 Photo Essay 21 The Twelve Days of Kenney Vancouver carolers target Tories and Jason Kenney with a revamped Christmas song Text by Stephanie Law cies, including the scrapping of Photos by Fatima Jaffer immigration assistance programs in favour of the temporary foreign VANCOUVER— Shoppers and workers program, as well as commuters in downtown Vancou- their demonizing attitudes: "On ver got an unusual dose of Christ- the eighth day the deportation Vancouver protestors, activists and advocates belted out the "12 days of mas carolling last December. minister did say, gay people 'evil,' Christmas" tune throughout the night on December 18, 2011, but with lyrics A group of approximately 40 Muslim people 'evil,' battered critical against the "deportation minister," their name for Minister of Citizenship, people belted out a familiar tune, women 'evil,' you cannot stay, on Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney. "The 12 days of Christmas," but stolen land, no room here, don't with a little kick—the lyrics were even try, even though this is the changed to criticize the Conser- biggest country." vative government's xenophobic Ending on what for the policies towards immigrants and crowd was a high note, the last refugees. The carolers sang in a verse went like this: busy downtown Vancouver mall, "On the twelfth day the going down escalators, while wait- people organized and said, hide ing for the SkyTrain and in the in my house, mosque church or train. temple, bring your aunt and uncle, The carol session was everybody welcome, no one is organized by No One is Illegal illegal, living wage and health care, (Vancouver, Coast Salish Territo- status for all people, we'll help you ries), Justicia for Migrant Workers staaaaay! de-colonize native land, and the Philippine Women Centre migrant justice day, let's get rid of to coincide with International Kenney and the Tories!" Migrants Day, December 18, 2011. The lyrics incorporated Stephanie Law is an editor with Shoppers and passers-by at a busy downtown mall stop at the lower level to listen what the groups see as some of The Dominion and a member of the to an oddly familiar Christmas tune, but with radical lyrics. Harper and Kenney's worst poli- Vancouver Media Co-op.

The anti-Kenney carollers sang wherever and whenever they could, including on The group of carollers crammed into a SkyTrain cart and started singing their "12 the SkyTrain platform while waiting for the next train. days of Kenney" song to the commuters.

These articles were produced by the Vancouver Media Co-op. For more grassroots coverage out of Vancouver check out vancouver.mediacoop.ca 22 Letters The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 BACK TALK

Canada's Honour Killings Hush Money Rejected

s Canada continues to pour troops and money into hanks to Pictou Landing First Nation on behalf of all American wars and intrigues in the Muslim world, the residents in Pictou Landing ("Pictou Landing Votes mediaA focuses on so-called honour killings ("The Honourable 'NO'"T by Miles Howe for the Halifax Media Co-op: January Voices of Four Women Killed In Kingston" by Arash Azizi 26, 2012). To our provincial government: please carry out the for the Toronto Media Co-op: February 1, 2012). How many promise made in 1992, 2002 and again in 2008, and finally innocent Afghans, not to mention freedom-fighters, have close down this environmental disaster which YOU OWN, Canadian soldiers and mercenaries killed since 2002? Surely and clean up Boat Harbour. many thousand times the 13 deaths attributed to honour killings on the home front. The shameful, very noisy trial of —JS Thomson the Shafias distorts the real news about Canada's relations with Afghans—a perfect metaphor for the high-tech imperial Savage Dodge centre presenting itself (through an embedded media) as the world's sole source of progress and reason, even as it drags an Savage has made it clear that he intends to be an ally that world down into chaos and destruction.ly. to trans- people, but he's certainly been a very inconsis- Dtent ally ("Dan Savage Glitterbombed" by Isaac Oommen for —John Gilberts the Vancouver Media Co-op: January 12, 2012). The problem I see here is that an ally in any anti-oppression movement have avoided reading any articles on [the Shafia] case thus should not focus on disproving the fact that they are influ- far, favouring instead to overhear the conversation that enced by prejudice. In doing so, Savage paints himself into Iflutters around it. I fear a spectacle premised on "toler- an adversarial relationship with the trans- activists whom he ance" which affords an opportunity for legitimizing notions tries to discredit in order to prove his worth. I would argue of Islamophobia via false appeal to the rights of women. that it's probably impossible to avoid internalizing prejudicial After all, I reside in a nation producing "Ethical Oil," which messages. The best thing any ally can do is take responsibility does not come from places "that do not respect the rights of for those influences and seek to be accountable for them. Yet women or gays and lesbians." I am interested in the aspect Savage is too busy dodging responsibility to internalize an of "a brilliant story of resistance and expression" of women understanding of what he is doing wrong. together. I am wondering if the violent events endured by Zainab, Shar, Geeti and Rona can be traced back to military —Spilling Tree intervention as the force countering women's rights and pro- gressive policy here and there—or, to borrow a ridiculous term Got a little backtalk for us? Send letters to [email protected]. from CBC, "Afghanada." Letters and comments may be edited for length and clarity. Anony- mous letters and comments may not be published; those with an —Zach Ruiter accompanying address will be prioritized.

Spot, the error. We're always looking for a few good copyeditors. The Dominion, Mar/Apr 2012 — Issue #81 23

TheWhere Dominion iscan carried I in find more than The 65 locations Dominion across Canada:?

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR The Book Store York University, Windsor Otter Books, Nelson The Sprout Restaurant, St. John's North York Mountainberry Foods, New Denver Mags Plus, Ottawa MANITOBA McNews, North Vancouver NOVA SCOTIA Britton's, Ottawa Mondragon Cafe, Winnipeg Spruceland News, Prince George The Tall & Small, Antigonish Glebe Smoke Shop, Ottawa Dominion News & Gifts, Winnipeg Salt Spring Books, Salt Spring Island Anchor Archive Zine Library, Halifax Britton's Westboro, Ottawa McNally Robinson Booksellers (WG), Tanners Bookstore, Sidney Atlantic News, Halifax Mags & Fags, Ottawa Winnipeg Misty River Books, Terrace Christopher's Smoke Shop, St. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Spartacus Books, Vancouver NEW BRUNSWICK Catherines Does Your Mother Know?, Vancou- CHMA-FM, Sackville This Ain't the Rosedale Library, SASKATCHEWAN ver Reads Newsstand, Moncton Toronto Turning the Tide, Saskatoon People's Co-op Bookstore, Vancou- Reads Newsstand - United Book- Toronto Women's Books, Toronto McNally Robinson Booksellers, ver store, Fredericton Global Aware, Toronto Saskatoon Mayfair News, Vancouver Presse Internationale -Beach, University of British Columbia, QUEBEC Toronto ALBERTA Vancouver The Word Bookstore, Montreal Presse Internationale #3 -Danforth, Good Life Community Bike Shop, Monahan Agency: various BC stores, Co-op la Maison Verte, Montreal Toronto Calgary Vernon Concordia Co-op Bookstore, Mon- Book City #3 - Danforth, Toronto Billy's News, Calgary Bolen Books, Victoria treal Book City #4 - Queen, Toronto With The Times, Calgary Camas Books & Infoshop, Victoria Le Point Vert, Montreal Book City #1 - Annex, Toronto Daily Globe News, Calgary Dark Horse Books, Victoria Presse Internationale #1 -Bloor, Hub Cigar & Newsstand, Edmonton Munro's Bookstore Ltd, Victoria ONTARIO Toronto Chow's Varieties, Fort McMurray The Bookshelf, Guelph Presse Internationale #2 -College, YUKON TERRITORY Sky Dragon Centre, Hamilton Toronto BRITISH COLUMBIA Mac's Fireweed Books, Whitehorse AKA Autonomous Social Centre, Conspiracy Culture, Toronto Lotus Books, Cranbrook Kingston Book City in the Village, Toronto Bizarre Entertainment, Golden NUNAVUT Empowerment Infoshop, London University of Windsor Bookstore, Bookland, Kamloops Arctic Ventures 2000, Iqaluit Share, read and fund local news

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