1• PEOPLE’S VOICE • JULY 1-31, 2017 Prolétaires de tous les pays, unissez-vous! Otatoskewak ota kitaskinahk mamawentotan Workers of all lands, unite! JULY Indigenous 1-31, 2017 people's Action: July 1 VOL. 25 Page 5 #12 Printed by union labour in Canada $1.50 Canada Post Publications Mail VOICE Agreement #40011632 Do working class lives matter? Grenfell Fire tragedy: capitalist austerity kills Page 6 "An injury to one is an C-59C-59C-59 injury to all" New Liberal security Pride 2017 Bill C-59 is yet another Greetings threat to democracy Page 7 See page 2 3 INSIDE 12 Cuba's adjustment World Youth Festival 9 Since 1947, the youth of the world Hanging by a thread Cuba's National Assembly met last have gathered every few years to month, as the island's elected celebrate friendship and anti- The political future of UK Prime representatives debated strategies imperialist solidarity. The 18th World Minister Theresa May is in doubt, after to preserve the gains of socialism Festival of Youth & Students will take big gains by Labour deprived her Tory and to fend off the latest escalation place this October in Sochi, Russia. party of a majority in Parliament. of US imperialist aggression. 2• PEOPLE’S VOICE • JULY 1-31, 2017 Bill C-59: a new threat to democracy By Liz Rowley, leader of the Intelligence Review Committee. UN charter, but that hasn’t stopped that undermines the security of integrity of a person is not allowed. Communist Party of Canada Bill C-59 combines national the US or its NATO allies, Canada.” Torture is not allowed. Causing security and oversight into one including Canada. So much for the Charter of death or bodily harm intentionally Bill C-59, the Liberals’ new conglomerate organization, so that Bill C-59 also makes clear that Rights and Freedoms, and the right or by negligence –not allowed. national security legislation, is a the spies and spooks will now be the government’s domestic policy to protest and dissent. Neither are obstructing, perverting cleaned up continuation of the self-regulating under a new “super- is to pick up where the RCMP left C-51 allowed for arbitrary arrest or defeating the course of justice Tories’ infamous and draconian SIRC”. Stream-lined it is, but very off in the 1970s, and for the same and detention on suspicion of or democracy. (This last one is Bill C-51 - which the Liberals voted dangerous to democracy at home reasons: protests by the labour and future wrong-doing. C-59 also rich, and the first three are not for despite mass country-wide and abroad. Furthermore, much democratic movements are seen allows for preventative arrest and believable given Canada’s role in protests. Their 2015 campaign hinges on the political views of the as a threat to corporate profits, and detention, but requires a bit better Afghanistan and elsewhere.) promise to amend C-51 if elected government of the day, since “the to the policies of the governments explanation regarding the C-59 also gives broad pro- were widely understood to mean Minister” has the power to approve that serve them. Opposition to likelihood of future wrong-doing. tections to agents involved in they would rewrite it to expunge resource extraction and pipeline The new Bill also allows for spying, disruption, and other covert the dangerously authoritarian, projects, to austerity policies, and widespread disruption inside and activities. While the Bill says the repressive and anti-democratic to legislation like Bill C-51 are outside Canada, including security and intelligence forces core of the legislation. Two years recent examples. intercepting and interference with must obey the law and the Charter, later, the Liberals have produced But the Liberals will do the job communications, financial they then set out the exceptions, C-59, the twin brother of C-51, of tightening up Canada’s security transactions, and the movement of which include … national security. cleaned-up, but no less dangerous state with a bit morefinesse, and a individuals. It allows for Bill C-59 was introduced June to our civil, labour and democratic nicer veil of justification than the widespread spying and covert 20 and has just passed first reading. rights. Harper government could ever activity aimed at information The Tories have panned the Much attention in this Bill is produce. gathering and sharing with other legislation as not going far enough. given to oversight, and with good This Bill defines activity that government agencies. (Revenue The corporate owned media says reason. In 1984, following the undermines the security of Canada Canada? Health Canada?) it’s just fine. The Trudeau McDonald Commission Report as “any activity that undermines C-59 will continue to gather government has indicated it will into RCMP wrong-doing, CSIS the sovereignty, security or names and other information of seek public input – let’s give it to was set up to separate policing territorial integrity of Canada …. individuals to add to the no- them loud and clear. from intelligence gathering, and (including) interference with the fly list, which arbitrarily prevents The Communist Party will steps were taken to establish capability of the government of access to air transport; but does oppose this legislation with all of oversight to keep the RCMP law- Canada in relation to intelligence, allows the Minister to inform the tools at hand, including briefs, abiding, and to end its extensive CPC leader Liz Rowley defence, border operations or parents if their child is not on the protests, public speaking, articles, illegal activities, which included public safety.” no-fly list. and a campaign to expose and extensive spying and ‘dirty tricks’ all of the agency’s activities. A This includes: “significant or C-51 allowed CSIS agents defeat the Bill. We call on the aimed at the labour and democratic Tory government would say “yes” widespread interference with broad powers to act, but Bill C-59 labour and democratic movements movements, political parties and to whole lot of things that critical infrastructure; significant gives them new powers to break to also use all their tools to stop movements in Quebec, and left- Canadians would find or widespread interference with the law. The Bill repeatedly and this Bill from becoming law. A wing political parties and unacceptable. What would the the global information solemnly affirms that security mass opposition across the individuals (including the Liberals do? We’re getting a taste infrastructure as defined in … the forces, including CSIS, CSE, country, that includes protests, Communist Party). The dirty tricks of that now. National Defence Act; and conduct CBSA, and their agents must obey petitions, demonstrations, letters included break-ins, forgeries, a With the new Liberal foreign that takes place in Canada and that the law, and especially the Charter to the editor, calls to talk shows, barn-burning in Quebec, wiretaps, and “defence” policies of actively undermines the security of another of Rights and Freedoms, before motions and resolutions, are all and many other illegal acts. This participating in US and NATO state.” going on to explain extensive ways to stop this Bill its tracks, was the RCMP’s modus operandi. wars of aggression around the And this: “For the purposes of exceptions to the rule. If someone’s before it is used to attack civil, The McDonald Commission globe, and increasing military this Act, advocacy, protest, dissent life is in danger, or if time is an social, labour, and democratic concluded that oversight by a spending by 70% to pay for it, it’s or artistic expression is not an issue, the rules can be thrown out rights. separate new organization was clear the government’s policy is activity that undermines the the window almost anytime, if the Along with this, we demand the essential. That was to be the not peace-keeping, but regime security of Canada unless carried higher ups agree. The only repeal of Bill C-51, should it function of SIRC – the Security change. This is illegal under the on in conjunction with an activity requirement to ignore the Charter survive this session of Parliament. rights of an individual or We call for an end to legislation organization, is to secure a secret and political action by the Liberals warrant from a judge. The and Tories that threaten peace and More PV fundraisers this summer justification? National security. security, including their support The agents involved will all be for state terrorism and regime immune to prosecution for their change by NATO and the US, and The 25th annual People’s Voice a film, music and speaker, at 526 press on Vancouver Island can illegal acts. In fact, illegal acts is their moves to undermine Banquet returned on June 17th to Main Street, 2 blocks north of look forward to the Moncada Day the name of the game. democracy and civil, labour and its origins in Vancouver’s Strath- Main Station. The rain date for Salmon BBQ in Nanaimo, on What is prohibited, without democratic rights in Canada. cona neighbourhood, where the this event is Monday, July 3; call Sunday, July 30, from 4 to 7 pm. exception? Violating the sexual The time to act is right now.Q historic Russian Hall has finished 647-994-4976 for details. This event features music, dinner, its renovations, and is once again That will be followed a week and door prizes, all at 819 Nanaimo an important community cultural later by the annual Davenport Club Lakes Road. For details, call Joe hub. Thanks to all who attended BBQ, Saturday, July 8, rain or (250-753-9785) or Gilberto (250- the Banquet, which helped bring shine, from 2 to 6 pm, at 58 Albany 754-4277).