Canadian Author and Activist
“[Canada is] a country that has been seen to be a leader on human rights on the world stage” — Niki Ashton In response to government lawyers planning to argue Canada has no legal obligation to provide First Nations with clean water NDP MP Niki Ashton told CBC, “I think any Canadian would be shocked... Continue Reading →
Historic. Maybe the biggest victory for Palestinian solidarity activists in Canadian history. The Jewish National Fund of Canada losing its charitable status is a blow to Israel, Zionist groups and Canada’s establishment. But the grassroots win should embarrass much of the mainstream self-described “left”. In response to the Canada Revenue Agency revoking the openly racist... Continue Reading →
The Jewish National Fund of Canada losing its charitable status is a win for Palestine. JNF’s pathetic response to the revocation has also helped shine light on Canada’s most significant contribution to Palestinian dispossession. Two weeks ago the JNF published a release saying they were launching legal proceedings against Canada’s revenue minister in a last... Continue Reading →
Is it a coincidence that a controversy about Niki Ashton’s expenses for a one-and-a-half-year-old trip to Quebec emerged after she challenged Canada’s biggest contribution to Palestinian dispossession? On June 13 the NDP’s revenue critic hosted a press conference at the parliamentary press gallery calling “on the Liberal government to investigate Canadian charities that allegedly funneled... Continue Reading →
“Taxpayer-subsidized charitable donations may well be Canada’s most important contribution to Palestinian dispossession”, begins a parliamentary petition drawing attention to an underappreciated phenomenon. Registered Canadian charities send over a quarter billion dollars a year to projects in Israel. Since the federal government introduced deductions for charities in 1967 around $6 billion in subsidized donations have... Continue Reading →
A New York state bill to strip tax-exempt status from charities assisting Israeli settlements and the Israeli military should boost a similar initiative in Canada. Last week high profile left-Democrat Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed a bill called “Not on our dime!: Ending New York funding of Israeli settler violence Act.” The New York state bill... Continue Reading →
Amidst Israel’s slaughter in Gaza, the divide between Jagmeet Singh and NDP supporters, as well as his caucus, has become glaring. On Tuesday Singh once again followed the Israel lobby in smearing internationalist, social justice, minded activists. In response to faux outrage instigated by the former head of the fascistic Jewish Defence League Meir Weinstein,... 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 →
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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