Canadian Author and Activist
Seven years ago, I was viciously attacked for an article arguing that antisemitism is the most abused term in Canada today. The recent manufactured outrage over Roger Waters suggests the statement is even more true today. Recently, officials in the fascistic, openly Jewish supremacist, Israeli government attacked the famed rockstar’s performance in Berlin. Israel’s anti-Palestinian... Continue Reading →
Recently a University of Victoria professor accused me of advocating genocide because I asked the Green’s leader about Canada sending arms to fight Russia. Equally troubling, the community centre hosting Montréal’s anarchist book fair canceled a talk critical of Canada’s support for the NATO proxy war. Last week I asked Green party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault... Continue Reading →
Last week right-wing Ecuadorian president Guillermo Lasso dissolved the national assembly. In stark contrast to their response to a similar move by the leftist president of Peru five months ago, Ottawa effectively supported the measure. As he was on the cusp of being impeached over corruption allegations Lasso dissolved the national assembly. He called on... Continue Reading →
If someone criticizes NDP foreign policy, do they worship Vladimir Putin? Jagmeet Singh says so. On the sidelines of the recent Canadian Labour Congress convention, I asked Singh “why the NDP supports the US empire’s position on China, the NATO proxy war, Iran and pretty much everywhere?” In response he twice stated that the NDP... Continue Reading →
Amidst widespread anxiety over foreign interference in this country’s politics, Israel’s embassy recently mobilized its domestic lobby to strategize on shaping Canadian policy. The absence of media outrage, or even a little embarrassment, speaks loudly about which foreign governments are allowed to ‘interfere’ in Canadian politics. A couple of attendees highlight the remarkable cynicism of... Continue Reading →
When people around the world ponder Canada thoughts of maple syrup, hockey players and training military pilots come to mind. This country has long dominated the flight simulation market and Ottawa has long assisted Canada’s leading military supplier. Last Friday Anita Anand met CAE officials in Montreal. The defense minister tweeted photos of the event... Continue Reading →
What would you guess a Canadian minister of international development actually does? Likely answers: Oversee aid to poor countries; Attend meetings about international assistance; Lobby his cabinet colleagues about the importance of aid. Meet with foreign officials to discuss ways of making a better world. Certainly not selling arms. That would never be part of... Continue Reading →
Personal political ambition is dangerous. It drives nice people to accommodate themselves to flagrant injustices and often also to directly enable imperialism. Two decades ago, current Liberal MP Sameer Zuberi and I were elected together as part of a slate to oversee the Concordia Student Union. An already charged campus, politics blew up after protesters,... Continue Reading →
The Trudeau government is pressing Mexico to maintain its loosely regulated, pro-capitalist mining policies. Recently the Mexican government initiated more socially and ecologically sound mining legislation. The reform shortens mining concessions, tightens rules for water permits and requires companies to provide at least 10 per cent of profits to the communities where they operate. In... Continue Reading →
An important facet of Canadian foreign policy is advancing the interests of mining companies. In Mongolia it’s largely all Global Affairs Canada does. Canadian ambassador Catherine Ivkoff regularly travels to Canadian-run mines, speaks at international mining conferences, does interviews with mining publications and talks up the sector in various other business and political forums. “We... Continue Reading →
Recently the Liberals announced $13 billion in support to attract Volkswagen to establish an electric car battery production facility halfway between Toronto and Detroit. The German auto manufacturer will set up its factory on “1,500 acres of prime agricultural land” in St. Thomas, Ontario. The government claims its motivation is ecological. But here are the... Continue Reading →
The Ontario NDP has once again succumbed to pressure from the anti-Palestinian, Islamophobic and anti-egalitarian B’nai Brith. Last night newly elected Ontario NDP MPP Sarah Jama re-tweeted Palestinian academic Noura Erakat’s statement on the death of Palestinian prisoner Khaled Adnan. Erakat tweeted, “Sheikh Khaled Adnan has died on day 90 of his hunger strike in... Continue Reading →
We are supposed to be outraged by a teenager burning Israeli flags but ignore a publicly funded school indoctinating six and seven-year-olds to worship a faraway apartheid state. On Wednesday a Montréal teenager filmed himself taking five Israeli flags attached to the outside fence of Hebrew Foundation School in the borough of Dollard-des-Ormeaux (DDO). With... Continue Reading →
Despite near total dominance of the narrative in the media, Canada’s NATO stenographers seem worried. Their reaction to an interview by South Africa’s envoy suggests an understanding that much of the world and many Canadians disagree with them. In a recent Canadian Press interview South Africa’s High Commissioner to Canada, Rieaz Shaik, criticized Canada’s role... Continue Reading →
The French president’s recent statement on China ought to embarrass the NDP’s foreign affairs critic. But with the US empire’s perspective dominating Canadian media it’s unlikely. On a visit to Beijing Emmanuel Macron said Europe should distance itself from US-Chinese tensions over Taiwan. Calling for Europe to avoid being drawn into “block-to-block logic” or becoming... Continue Reading →
Is Lula a pro-Russian “tankie”? Should the Canadian left echo or marginalize his outlook on Ukraine? Last week Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called on the US and other countries to “stop supplyingweapons and encouraging war” in Ukraine. He said, “the United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace;... Continue Reading →
Like a stopped watch that tells the correct time twice a day, Pierre Poilievre is right about Canada’s ‘public’ broadcaster. CBC is a government-funded media outlet that acts as a state, rather than public, broadcaster in its coverage of Canadian foreign policy. Recently the extreme right Conservative party leader asked for Twitter to label CBC... Continue Reading →
Opposing military spending, NORAD and NATO is not an endorsement of Russian violence in Ukraine. But, in the current climate, many are seeking to frame it as such. On the 74th anniversary of NATO’s formation Mouvement Québécois pour la Paix (MQP) organized a protest in front of CBC/Radio Canada’s offices in Montréal. One self-described progressive... Continue Reading →
Imagine a Canadian MP travelled to Moscow and posted a parable by Vladimir Putin on kindness. What might the media reaction be? Turns out a Liberal MP did the equivalent in Africa and has so far escaped any criticism. During a trip in which she met Rwanda’s foreign minister and innovation minister London West MP Arielle Kayabaga posted... Continue Reading →
The Liberals’ “progressive” foreign policy claims are essentially all lies. A recent Globe and Mail investigation confirms the toothless nature of Justin Trudeau’s promised corporate ombudsperson. According to Hollow Core, the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) has yet to complete a single investigation of a company accused of abuses abroad. This despite the Globe... Continue Reading →
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