Canadian Author and Activist
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 →
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 →
Left media should explore a wide range of critical ideas. But it should try to avoid ‘punching down’ too often. Recently new left outlet The Breach published a long interview with Columbia University PhD student Barnaby Raine “on the resurgence of ‘tankie’ and ‘campist’ politics” titled “Is the enemy of my enemy my friend?” It... Continue Reading →
The Canadian foreign policy status quo won Monday’s election. Of course, when it came to international and military affairs the vote had little upside. All the parties with a chance of winning seats in Parliament promote a corporate, military and Washington-centred foreign policy. But a Conservative victory would have made things worse. At least... Continue Reading →
How about a little friendly pressure? Hopefully that’s all it would take for Left NDP MPs to join Neil Young, Stephen Lewis, Teagan and Sarah, David Suzuki and many other notable Canadian and international figures in calling for government resources to “be used to eliminate boil water advisories on reserves, build light rail lines across... Continue Reading →
It’s heating up. With a month to go before the NDP convention the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) has twice attacked Palestine solidarity and the left of the party. In a Twitter thread on Tuesday the official advocacy arm of Canada’s Jewish federations promoted the idea that Canada’s first ever openly gay... Continue Reading →
On Wednesday the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs attacked the left wing of the NDP. In a release titled “Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) appalled that disgraced former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn invited to spread toxicity in Canada”, CIJA CEO Shimon Fogel noted: “Jeremy... Continue Reading →
The Liberals’ commitment to a neo-Duvalierist dictatorship in Haiti is being tested. Hopefully Black History Month offers opposition parties an opportunity to finally echo growing grassroots criticism of Canadian policy in the hemisphere’s poorest country. Since Monday a squatter has been occupying the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince. On Sunday evening Supreme Court Justice Joseph Mecene... Continue Reading →
For those who support a truly just foreign policy comparing Canadian politicians’ reactions to protests in Hong Kong and the slightly more populous Haiti is instructive. It reveals the extent to which this country’s politicians are forced to align with the US Empire. Despite hundreds of thousands of Canadians having close ties with both Haiti... Continue Reading →
What should the leader of Canada’s left wing party say about what’s happening in Venezuela? Here are a few suggestions: “Canada should respect international law in its dealings with Venezuela.” Or, “Canada shouldn’t select the president of Venezuela.” How about, “The US has a long history of overthrowing governments in Latin America and Canada should... Continue Reading →
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