When challenging power, it’s imperative to celebrate victories. But it’s also important to understand the political dance is often two steps forward, one step back. In a victory for thousands of party activists, Jagmeet Singh recently released a statement that sharpened the New Democratic Party’s critique of Canada’s contribution to Palestinian dispossession. The NDP leader’s... Continue Reading →
Curious case of NDP exec attacking party leader on Palestine
Strange that a member of the NDP executive would echo an anti-Palestinian group’s attacks against the party. Weirder still, this executive who disparaged Jagmeet Singh for taking action on Palestine and attacked those saying Israel practices apartheid, has made similar claims in the past. In one of a half-dozen tweets, Ryan Painter shared a recent... Continue Reading →
Canada Supports Oligarchic Gangsterism in Haiti
Rosa Luxemburg popularized the dictum “Socialism or Barbarism”. Since World War I Leftists of various stripes have adopted or modified the maxim. In Haiti the struggle has been between those seeking “poverty with dignity” and oligarchic gangsterism. Unfortunately, Canada has been on the side of barbarism. In recent months gang warfare has engulfed Port-au-Prince and... Continue Reading →
Justice for the victims of Canadian peacekeepers
If the Liberals were serious about a feminist foreign policy and international rules-based-order they would immediately modify the criminal code to allow Canadians on UN missions to be prosecuted. Currently, when Canadian police and soldiers are deployed on UN missions, they are effectively immune from prosecution for any crimes they commit. Yet Canadians dispatched to Haiti... Continue Reading →
McGill-Tel Aviv University partnership announcement interrupted
Yesterday I interrupted a major funding announcement at McGill to ask the head of the university about her suppression of Palestine solidarity. As she spoke from the Faculty Club’s stage I asked Principal Suzanne Fortier, “Do McGill students have the right to oppose the killing of Palestinian children? Do they have the right to... Continue Reading →
Supporters of Palestinian rights should praise NDP’s dramatic policy shift
Has a leading Canadian politician ever shifted so dramatically on a major policy issue? Eighteen months ago, Jagmeet Singh refused to utter the word “Palestine” but on Aug. 26 he sent out an email announcing the New Democrats’ position on Israel. It says, “We believe Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories is at the... Continue Reading →
Haitians have no reason to trust Canadian ‘assistance’
If the Canadian government was really trying to “help” Haiti solve its political and insecurity crisis it would criticize police who kill protesters. In recent days Ottawa has aggressively taken up the Haitian cause. On Wednesday Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae met the president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, to talk... Continue Reading →
‘Peacekeeping’ or defund the military?
I recently participated in a debate with Walter Dorn and others on Canadian peacekeeping. It was illuminating. After Black Alliance for Peace Haiti coordinator Jemima Pierre detailed the horrors of the international body’s mission in Haiti, Dorn was asked if he agreed with the UN mission in that country. The Rideau Institute fellow answered with... Continue Reading →
Truth to the Powerless shines as critical foreign policy analysis
Official Canadian foreign policy supports empire and corporate interests, but you’d never know that if you rely on the dominant media or government pronouncements. Then along comes Pitasanna Shanmugathas, Ryan Ellis and a team of filmmakers with Truth to the Powerless: An Investigation into Canada's Foreign Policy. The six-part series explores Canada’s role in creating... Continue Reading →
Canadian Navy sails with US empire into war, environmental disaster
Ottawa is hellbent on supporting the US empire’s drive for global domination even if it increases the odds of war and undermines the cooperation required to overcome the climate crisis. Canada’s defence minister is boasting about the navy’s continued support for Washington’s bid to stoke tensions with China 8,000 kilometers from this country’s shores. On... Continue Reading →
US student, Israel lobby groups behind McGill lawsuit
What to do if you are unable to convince your peers to vote for apartheid? Sue them. Two weeks ago Jonah Fried launched a lawsuit against the Students Society of McGill University (SSMU), Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) and McGill’s administration. He is alleging that they are responsible for discrimination and harassment. Leading Canadian... Continue Reading →
Should Clayton Ruby be considered a left hero?
Clayton Ruby came to my attention in 2002 when I was a vice president in the Concordia Student Union. With two other self-declared leftists, Ruby penned a Globe and Mail commentary condemning our internationalist, feminist and anti-capitalist minded union. In “No more double standard” he viciously attacked the UN campaign to compensate for racial slavery... Continue Reading →
How many Ukrainians will die before Ottawa seeks peace?
By restarting Operation UNIFIER Canada is ramping up its war with Russia. The military training mission had been Ottawa’s principal contribution to a seven-year-old proxy war, which appears likely to continue for years. Last week Defence Minister Anita Anand announced that 225 Canadian troops would be dispatched to England to train Ukrainians. They will offer... Continue Reading →
Canada no peacekeeper and never has been
The Maple’s recent two-part series on “The Bloody History of Canadian ‘Peacekeeping’” is important to understanding Canadian foreign policy. Even though Canada hasn’t contributed significant troop numbers recently, UN missions remain important to understanding Canadian foreign policy. Two weeks ago, Ottawa supported a year-long extension of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). “Canada... Continue Reading →
Canada’s terrorist list actually enables terrorism
On Friday Israel launched its latest outburst of violence against Gaza. Over 72 hours at least 44 Palestinians, including 16 children, were killed. More than 300 Palestinians were injured while many more lost their homes, businesses or other property. Children in Gaza have also been psychologically scarred by the bombings and, in another form of... Continue Reading →
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